[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7664-H7665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                              REFORM WEEK

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for months the Republican leadership has 
been heralding their upcoming reform week. Well--reform week is here 
but it's looking a lot more like weak reform. What was once a big 
buildup has become a quiet shutdown.
  Not much talk about reform this week. Mostly because the Republican 
campaign finance reform legislation doesn't actually reform the system 
but makes it worse. But don't take my word for it--take the words of 10 
of my Republican colleagues whose ``Dear Colleague'' letter reads--and 
I quote--``Instead of leveling the playing field in elections, this 
bill will result in greater incumbent protection. The bill actually 
increases the amounts that wealthy individuals can contribute in 
Federal elections.''
  That's right. Under current law an individual can give $25,000. Under 
the

[[Page H7665]]

Republican campaign finance reform bill an individual will be able to 
give up to $3.1 million. As my Republican colleagues also said, ``The 
average American will be left even further behind in the Washington 
money chase as they are frozen out of the political process.'' I urge 
my Republican colleagues to listen to their own caucus members and vote 
against this weak reform legislation.

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