Jack Abramoff will now co-operate with investigators

Senior Democrats have unveiled an Honest Leadership and Open Government Act - legislation which they say will bring an end to the corruption.

Earlier this week Republicans announced their own package of reforms, including a ban on politicians receiving gifts.

The move follows a corruption scandal spawned by a powerful lobbyist.

The Democratic attack was led by the Senate minority leader Harry Reid.

'Ethical cloud'

Mr Reid was flanked by other leading party members, including the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, as he spoke of the proposed legislation in the Library of Congress.

Mr Reid said that during his long career in politics he had never felt as distressed and concerned as he did now.

He spoke of the culture of corruption he felt had infested government, and how change was now vital.

Ms Pelosi echoed his sentiments, speaking of an ethical cloud hanging over the capital and describing the current Congress as the most closed and corrupt in history.

"The American people deserve a Congress that represents the interest of everyday people," Ms Pelosi said.

Buying political influence

The legislation being introduced would ban all lobbyists from offering gifts and free travel to politicians and seeks tighter controls on the movement of staff from jobs on Capitol Hill to lucrative lobbying posts.

The BBC's Daniela Relph in Washington says the legislation aims to bring an end to cronyism, pledging to make sure that every individual appointed to a position has the right credentials.

On Tuesday, Republicans in the US Congress unveiled their own package of anti-corruption reforms.

House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert promoted laws that would stop lobbyists paying for lunches, or arranging "fact-finding" trips for politicians to warm-weather resorts.

"A member of Congress should be able to accept a baseball cap... from the proud students of a local middle school, but he... doesn't need to be taken to... dinner by a Washington lobbyist," he said.

The moves come after the guilty plea on corruption charges by lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Abramoff was accused of using gifts of money, foreign trips and lavish meals to buy political influence.

Under the terms of a plea bargain, Abramoff will now co-operate with a probe into alleged corruption among Congress members.

The US justice department is believed to be investigating as many as 20 members of Congress and aides, with some Democrats also said to be implicated in the scandal.