Sen. Chuck Schumer will lead the Democrats as they roll out an agenda counter to House Speaker Paul Ryan's. | AP Photo Senate Dem's agenda aims at campaign finance, lobbying laws

Democrats began building their general election platform on Thursday, as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton promptly endorsed a package of campaign finance and lobbying bills developed by Senate Democrats.

The Senate Democratic leader-in-waiting Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said it was a "coincidence" he was unleashing a package of proposals meant to satisfy Democratic populists on the same day that Bernie Sanders is visiting with President Barack Obama and Minority Leader Harry Reid. But it's clear that an agenda that would ban ousted members of Congress from lobbying and increase campaign finance disclosures is aimed squarely at stoking support from Sander's progressive supporters.


"We haven't talked to Sen. Sanders but I would think knowing his record I believe it's one that he would endorse," Schumer told reporters. "He's certainly stood for things like this and believed in this for all the years we've known him."

Schumer and a group of Democrats will rolled out the reform package at a morning press conference, right around the time House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is discussing his own national security policy agenda at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Democrats’ plan, which tackles government and campaign finance reform, will be a "huge issue" in the presidential and downballot races this fall, Schumer said.

Democrats have long hoped to crack down on big money in politics, even as they've benefited from outside groups like Senate Majority PAC spending on their behalf. Democrats argue that they cannot unilaterally disarm while getting pounded by the GOP and expect this year to get outspent by republicans in key battleground states.

The Democratic policy agenda, clearly influenced by the progressive firestorm stirred up by Sanders’ presidential campaign, would take on so-called “dark money” in super PACS, by requiring candidates to report certain contributions in real time and mandate that tax-exempt groups spending in elections disclose their major donors.

Democrats are also calling for a permanent ban on lobbying by former lawmakers and a constitutional amendment limiting campaign financing.

The policy agenda has almost zero chance of being enacted as long as Republicans control Congress, but it may very well help unite a deeply divided party as Sanders plans to stay in the race, at least for now.

“I applaud the Senate Democrats for proposing a strong package of reforms to help restore our democracy and break the grip of wealthy special interests in Washington," Clinton said. "Congress should pass this bill as quickly as possible—and should I be elected President, I would proudly sign it."