[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1073-E1074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          REFORMING GOVERNMENT

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 1996

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington 
Report for Wednesday, June 12, 1996, into the Congressional Record.

                  Making Government Work for Hoosiers

       Hoosiers often tell me how they feel shut out from the 
     political process. They say that Washington does not listen 
     to them, and is more responsive to special interests than to 
     their own concerns. Many have concluded that government 
     either makes things worse or is incapable of making them 
     better.
       It has always been true that people in this country have 
     been skeptical of power, and our system of government, with 
     its checks and balances, reflects that view. Our citizens 
     have long cherished the right to strongly criticize their 
     leaders, and that attitude can be a healthy one.
       But public cynicism today is severe, intense, and stronger 
     than it once was. A top priority for elected officials must 
     be to restore confidence in government. People want to see 
     that the government is on their side, working to help not 
     hurt them.
       A key element of any reform program must be to make 
     government more responsive to the needs and concerns of its 
     citizens. That means opening up the political process, 
     reducing the role of special interests, and making elected 
     officials more accountable. Congress, with my support, has 
     taken steps to these ends, but more needs to be done.


                          Making voting easier

       Congress, with my support, approved a law in 1993 to ease 
     voter registration procedures, and the results have been 
     encouraging. Since the law went into effect in 1995, almost 
     10 million more Americans registered to vote, including about 
     500,000 Hoosiers.


                             banning gifts

       The House, with my support, passed a bill last year to ban 
     all gifts to Members, with limited exceptions for close 
     family and friends. There is simply no reason to take 
     valuable gifts, meals or vacations from lobbyists.


                  strengthening lobbying restrictions

       I voted for a tough lobbying reform law last year that 
     requires paid lobbyists to disclose who pays them, whom they 
     lobby, what issues they lobby for, and how much they are paid 
     to influence the government. This should help make the system 
     more open and accountable.


                  applying workplace laws to congress

       Last January Congress passed a law to apply private sector 
     laws to Congress. This law was based on a recommendation of 
     the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress, which I 
     co-chaired. The legislation applies key workplace laws to 
     Congress, including overtime, workplace safety and anti-
     discrimination rules.


                    reforming campaign finance laws

       The House leadership has pledged to take up campaign 
     finance reform this July. I regret it has taken the 
     leadership so long to bring this priority item to the floor. 
     My view is that genuine reform must include the following 
     elements.

[[Page E1074]]

       First, the importance of political action committees (PACs) 
     should be reduced. We should cap total PAC contributions to a 
     candidate and reduce the limit on contributions from a single 
     PAC.
       Second, Members of Congress should be prohibited from 
     running ``leadership PACs,'' which a few Members, including 
     leaders in both parties, use to gain power and influence over 
     other Members for their own personal agenda.
       Third, Congress should limit the flow of ``soft money'' and 
     ``independent'' spending into political campaigns. Such 
     spending, which is made by or on behalf of corporations, 
     wealthy individuals, and other organizations, falls outside 
     normal federal campaign finance restrictions, and has been 
     abused by both parties in recent years.
       Fourth, reforms should emphasize the importance of 
     grassroots political fundraising over big-ticket donors. The 
     number of large contributions should be capped.
       Fifth, Congress should examine ways to encourage voluntary 
     campaign spending limits, such as providing reduced-cost 
     television and radio time to candidates who abide by the 
     limits.
       Sixth, Congress must give more authority and support to the 
     Federal Election Commission to crack down on election law 
     violations.


                    Freezing congressional salaries

       I have consistently voted against congressional pay raises 
     during my time in Congress, including the most recent 
     increase in 1989; and for the last several years, have 
     supported the freeze on Members' salaries.


                     Cutting congressional pensions

       The House will likely consider proposals this summer to 
     reduce congressional pension benefits, and ban pensions to 
     Members convicted of crimes. Possible reforms include 
     increasing Members' personal contributions and capping total 
     pension benefits. I voted last year to reduce congressional 
     pensions.


                    Limiting the congressional frank

       Since 1992, with my support, the House has cut its mailing 
     budget by more than 70%, banned mass mailings within 90 days 
     of an election, and required all mass mailings to be approved 
     by a bipartisan franking commission to ensure they are 
     substantive and non-partisan.


                        reforming ethics process

       I have introduced a bill to create an outside panel to 
     investigate charges of mis-conduct against Members. The 
     Ethics Committee has increasingly been unable to fully and 
     fairly investigate, prosecute and judge ethics complaints 
     against fellow Members.


                          Regularizing reform

       In early 1995 the House, with my support, approved several 
     internal House reforms, including proposals to eliminate 
     three committees and cut committee staff by one-third. I have 
     introduced a bill to regularize this type of reform effort by 
     having Congress take up reform proposals every two years, 
     rather than do one-shot, omnibus packages every twenty or 
     thirty years.


                               Conclusion

       No issue is more important than the restoration of the 
     confidence of Americans in their government. Americans will 
     forgive government's honest failings if they believe that it 
     cares about their needs and is trying to do a better job. 
     Members of Congress have an obligation to earn the public's 
     respect and trust. Congress has taken some important steps, 
     but other, broader reforms are necessary if Congress is to be 
     the truly representative body the people deserve and the 
     nation's founders intended.

                          ____________________