[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 169 (Monday, October 30, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H11385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TAXPAYER-FUNDED POLITICAL ADVOCACY

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
latest effort to keep the Republican's promise to the American people 
to end business as usual in Washington. Specifically, I am referring to 
the Istook-McIntosh-Ehrlich amendment, which would put an end to 
taxpayer-subsidized lobbying. Currently, over $39 billion is 
distributed to nearly 40,000 groups in the form of Federal grants. 
These funds are distributed under the guise of assisting charities. 
What these grants really amount to, however, is a taxpayer-funded 
subsidy to engage in political activity, otherwise known as welfare for 
lobbyists. Let me present an example of a politically active grantee 
and the amount that group receives.
  The National Council of Senior Citizens receives nearly $73 million--
96 percent of its funds--from taxpayers. What do they do with that 
money? Well, let me quote from their latest progress report, issued 
January 1995, in which the National Council of Senior Citizens 
explicitly states that it ``vigorously lobbies the Congress, public 
officials and other organizations engaged in legislative debate.''
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to see this group, and all of the other 
groups who exploit their status as nonprofit organizations, to use 
their grants for their intended purpose to help those in need. The 
National Council of Senior Citizens could do much more to assist 
seniors if they would devote all of their time and money walking the 
halls of nursing homes, rather than walking the Halls of Congress.

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