The Times endorses a “tougher political corruption law” in this editorial.

The goal of the Senate bill from Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, and John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, is to have sharper eyes follow the public money. Even with the Abramoff scandal, corruption prosecutions fell an estimated 14 percent during the Bush administration.

The Senate measure authorizes more anticorruption prosecutors and a clearer definition of what constitutes bribery and extortion for public officials. It extends the statute of limitations on political corruption and increases criminal penalties.

The editorial looks to be a reference to S. 49.  Last Congress Sen. Leahy sponsored S. 118, The Effective Corruption Prosecutions Act.