[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3163-S3164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss one of the most 
difficult issues facing our democracy--campaign finance reform. First, 
we must recognize that our democratic system has come a long way in the 
last 30 years. Information on who finances campaigns and how that money 
is spent is now available to any citizen. With the advance of the 
Internet, most of this information can be found through your home 
computer.
  But, while disclosures laws passed in the 1970's have worked largely 
as intended, other reforms instituted at that time have created a new 
set of problems. In order to more clearly identify who was contributing 
to campaigns, Congress created a new mechanism for democratic 
involvement--Political Action Committees. Twenty years ago, PAC's were 
seen as positive vehicles to channel special interest dollars through 
public organizations.

[[Page S3164]]

  Unfortunately, the proliferation of PAC's and special interest 
contributions in our election system has overtaken most other forms of 
democratic involvement. Because of the high costs of running campaigns, 
especially the cost of purchasing television ads, American political 
campaign funding is dominated by special interest contributions.
  It should not surprise us that the American public has become 
increasingly cynical as this trend has become worse. This public 
disillusionment contributes to pessimism about the future of our 
Government and has led to a disturbing lack of faith in our democratic 
institutions. Despite the good efforts of many grassroots citizen 
organizations and elected officials, every attempt in Congress to 
reform the campaign finance system since 1979 has failed.
  This lack of progress is not the fault of one political party or one 
branch of government. Democrats and Republicans have tried to push 
through meaningful reform for the last two decades, and reasonable 
people can disagree about the best course for the future. But, this 
gridlock must not be allowed to stand any longer. The American public 
is demanding a fundamental change in the way campaigns are financed and 
we must act this year to implement that change.
  These are the reasons that I am cosponsoring S. 1219, the Senate 
Campaign Finance Reform Act. This legislation, sponsored by Senator 
McCain and my Wisconsin colleague Russ Feingold, is the first 
meaningful bipartisan campaign finance bill to be seriously considered 
in two decades. The fact that the House of Representatives has a 
similar bipartisan bill only adds credibility to this proposal.
  S. 1219 strikes at the heart at much of what is wrong with our 
campaign finance system: it eliminates PAC contributions; caps the 
amounts that can be spent in campaigns; curtails the practice of 
bundling contributions; and closes the loopholes allowing so-called 
``soft money'' contributions. The legislation establishes many of these 
limits through a voluntary system, thereby conforming with Supreme 
Court rulings governing campaign financing.
  Like many Senators, if I had drafted my own bill, I would have 
omitted some provisions of this legislation and included others. But 
any meaningful bipartisan reform must be a compromise between competing 
proposals. And campaign finance reform must be done in a bipartisan 
fashion--legislation crafted by one party and rammed through the 
Congress will not and should not get the support of the American 
people.
  Mr. President, I recognize there are deep divisions among Members of 
Congress over the how to reform our campaign finance system. These 
divisions have led to stalemate after stalemate over twenty years. And 
without serious reform the American public will continue to mistrust 
not only the way we elect candidates, but the very fundamental precipes 
of our Government. This must not go on.
  S. 1219 is the best option currently moving through the Congress to 
renew America's faith in our elections and curtail the influence of 
special interest contributions. I am pleased to add my name as a 
cosponsor of this bill, and urge my colleagues to join us in this 
important effort.

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