[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 17 (Tuesday, February 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, when the Republicans were in the minority, 
they would often challenge the Democratic leadership of the House to 
implement comprehensive campaign finance reform. We are now in the 3d 
year of the Republican majority, and the Speaker in fact has only 
brought one campaign finance reform bill to the floor, a bill, and I 
should mention that the Republican leadership knew would fail, and did 
in fact fail by over 250 votes. I guess the Republicans' fervent quest 
for reform has been tempered by the power of being in the majority.
  Campaign finance reform again is not a new issue to this Congress by 
any means. In fact, the House had passed a comprehensive campaign 
finance reform bill when Democrats were in the majority, but, as I 
mentioned previously, this was vetoed by President Bush.
  Last week President Clinton came to this Chamber and challenged this 
House to pass meaningful campaign finance reform. He made it a priority 
of his administration. He set July 4 as the deadline. I believe the 
House can certainly pass reform legislation by then. I think it would 
be a true test of our democracy, and it certainly is a challenge we 
must face this session.

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