[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 46 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 46

   Expressing the sense of Congress that investigations of campaign 
     fundraising practices should be left to the Federal Election 
                              Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 1997

  Mr. Fattah submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on House Oversight

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of Congress that investigations of campaign 
     fundraising practices should be left to the Federal Election 
                              Commission.

Whereas Congress established the bipartisan Federal Election Commission to 
        investigate alleged violations of Federal law relating to the financing 
        of campaigns for Federal elections on a bipartisan basis;
Whereas many members of Congress have complained that the Commission does not 
        carry out its mission, largely because the Commission has not been given 
        sufficient resources;
Whereas the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
        have announced plans to conduct hearings and investigations of 
        fundraising practices of the 1996 elections;
Whereas it is anticipated that nearly $10,000,000 will be spent on these 
        hearings and investigations, an amount that represents nearly 35 percent 
        of the amount appropriated by Congress for the entire operations of the 
        Federal Election Commission for fiscal year 1997;
Whereas unlike the Federal Election Commission, these Committees have no real 
        expertise in Federal election law and operate on a partisan basis;
Whereas because of the partisan nature of the operation of Congressional 
        committees, the findings of these Committees will inevitably be viewed 
        with skepticism by the people of the United States;
Whereas the appropriate means for Congress to address the issues expected to be 
        raised in these hearings and investigations is through the consideration 
        of legislation to reform the laws governing the financing of campaigns 
        for election for Federal office; and
Whereas the time spent by the members of these Committees in conducting these 
        hearings and investigations is time that will not be spent addressing 
        education, health care, job creation, and other issues affecting the 
        real lives of the people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) any investigations of alleged violations of Federal law 
        relating to the financing of campaigns for election for Federal 
        office should be conducted by the Federal Election Commission; 
        and
            (2) the amounts proposed to be expended to conduct 
        Congressional hearings and investigations of such alleged 
        violations should instead be provided to the Commission so that 
        it may effectively carry out its responsibilities under the 
        law.
                                 <all>