[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 31, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1419-E1421]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. JIM KOLBE

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 1996

  Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3820, the 
Campaign Finance

[[Page E1420]]

Reform Act. This bill fixes most of the commonly mentioned problems we 
see in funding campaign activities.
  Mr. Speaker, I am especially pleased that this bill would require 
that at least half of our campaign funds would have to come from within 
our own district. This change alone makes the bill worth voting for. 
How often do we hear about special interests inside the beltway buying 
elections for an incumbent? This reform means that if your own 
constituents do not like you well enough to contribute, you will not 
have resources to get your message out.
  And along that line, the bill cuts the influence of PAC's 
dramatically. Not only is their maximum contribution cut in half, but 
the candidate cannot even take the reduced amount if it would put him 
or her over the 50 percent threshold. This changes the balance of power 
between PAC's and individuals.
  On the other hand, the bill strengthens political parties, including 
the local parties. And we all know that real reform begins at the local 
level. By increasing the amounts that local parties can contribute to 
the candidate, the candidate will be listening more closely to the 
folks at home, not to the big national PAC's.
  Finally, this bill makes it possible for a candidate of modest means 
to run even if he or she is facing a very wealthy opponent or an 
incumbent with an intimidating war chest. The parties and PAC's are 
allowed, under these circumstances, to increase their contributions to 
level the playing field.
  I am at a loss to understand why Common Cause would say that anyone 
who votes for this bill is a ``Protector of Corruption.'' If I remember 
correctly, they want taxpayers to fund campaigns, a situation that 
would require an individual to subsidize a candidate for whom he or she 
would not vote. I think that is corrupt.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting a true 
reform bill.

[[Page E1421]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Thursday, August 1, 1996, may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                AUGUST 2
     9:30 a.m.
       Joint Economic
         To hold hearings to examine the employment-unemployment 
           situation for July.
                                                            SD-106
     10:00 a.m.
       Finance
       Social Security and Family Policy Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine how to educate the public 
           about the 1996 report of the Social Security Board of 
           Trustees.
                                                            SD-215

                              SEPTEMBER 4
     9:30 a.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
         To hold hearings on S. 1678, to abolish the Department of 
           Energy.
                                                            SD-366

                              SEPTEMBER 5
     2:00 p.m.
       Energy and Natural Resources
       Forests and Public Land Management Subcommittee
         To hold hearings on S. 931, to authorize the construction 
           of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System and to 
           authorize assistance to the Lewis and Clark Rural Water 
           System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, for the planning 
           and construction of the water supply system, S. 1564, 
           to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide 
           loan guarantees for water supply, conservation, quality 
           and transmission projects, S. 1565, to supplement the 
           Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956 and to 
           supplement the Federal Reclamation laws by providing 
           for Federal cooperation in non-Federal projects and for 
           participation by non-Federal agencies in Federal 
           projects, S. 1649, to extend contracts between the 
           Bureau of Reclamation and irrigation districts in 
           Kansas and Nebraska, S. 1719, Texas Reclamation 
           Projects Indebtedness Purchase Act, and S. 1921, to 
           transfer certain facilities at the Minidoka project to 
           Burley Irrigation District.
                                                            SD-366

                              SEPTEMBER 11
     10:00 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine competition in the 
           telecommunications industry.
                                                            SD-226

                              SEPTEMBER 17
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
           Veterans' Affairs to review the legislative 
           recommendations of the American Legion.
                                               334 Cannon Building

                             POSTPONEMENTS

                                AUGUST 2
     10:00 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To resume hearings to examine the dissemination of 
           Federal Bureau of Investigation background 
           investigation reports and other information to the 
           White House.
                                                            SD-226