[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have had a very active 
weekend and likewise very active several weeks. The whole issue has 
been around the horrors and hysteria of campaign finance reform or 
campaign finance offense. Let me first acknowledge, Mr. Speaker, that 
Members of the U.S. Congress, from my perspective, come here to work 
and work on behalf of their constituents. They hold near and dear the 
Constitution of the United States. They appreciate that average people 
can run for office and represent Americans in this august and important 
body. They recognize that it is not their job to come here and be led 
by those who are filled with special interests and who pay for those 
special interests to be brought to the floor of the House. But they do 
recognize that average citizens like you and me fund different PAC's 
and give opportunity for their voices to be heard.
  I think it is important that we recognize what democracy is. It means 
that teachers can gather and organize and speak about issues of 
education. It means that nurses can organize and talk about health 
issues. Senior citizens are able as well to comment on Social Security 
and Medicare and Medicaid. It means that everyone's voice can be heard.
  Campaign finance is an equal opportunity offender. I believe in 
campaign finance reform. I do not believe in campaign finance hysteria.
  I am very glad, as we have studied the polls, that the American 
people are likewise. They want to see things that are wrong corrected, 
but they do understand that this hysteria gets to be a little political 
sometimes. We need to all look at ways to improve how moneys are 
funded, how the message is gotten out, how the media is utilized. And I 
would almost say that there needs to be some ordering of how media, the 
electronic media, the print media is utilized so the voting public can 
understand who the candidates are and that the average man and woman 
and young person will have the opportunity to run for public office and 
in particular a position in the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  That is what the Founding Fathers, and I hate to say there were no 
founding mothers, intended. They wanted the average layman, the farmer, 
they wanted the printer, they wanted the local philosopher to have the 
opportunity to be in the United States Congress. That is what I believe 
is right.
  Is there something to having guests at the White House? Well, I might 
add that many of our early Presidents simply opened the doors and said, 
bring them off of the streets and let them stay here. It is the 
people's house. And if there needs to be some corrections made on how 
it is utilized, so be it. But do not deny the first family the 
opportunity to entertain their guests or maybe to say, come on in, my 
neighbor and my friend, to visit.
  I do support campaign finance reform. But I think we are wrong to be 
engaged in hysteria. I think we are wrong to suggest that individuals 
who come here are bought and paid for. I think we are wrong to take a 
litmus test and not really to get to understand the 435 persons in this 
House and the 100 persons in the Senate and, yes, the President of the 
United States who comes here truly committed to doing what is right for 
the citizens of the United States of America.
  There is some talk about a special prosecutor. I am absolutely 
opposed and I will tell you why. Special prosecutor connotes that 
someone has purposely done something illegal that may be on the verge 
of criminal activities. We have a body that is now set and the moneys 
have been voted for the U.S. Senate to begin investigating any 
activities that may have occurred that may be illegal or may infringe 
upon our rules with respect to campaign finance reform.
  I say let the process go forward. Let the witnesses be subpoenaed. 
Let the Members who have something to say say it. Let the investigation 
be thorough. Let it be of Republicans. Let it be of Independents. Let 
it be of Democrats. Let the American people see it in the clearness of 
the day and let us have your input as to how best to get the message 
out so that we who are average citizens who come to this body can best 
run and not be controlled by dollars but still have the opportunity, 
each of us, whatever our backgrounds, to come to this body and to be 
able to serve you in the way that we should.
  The American people have never given in to hysteria. That is why we 
have a body of government that has lasted almost 400 years. I ask that 
we not give in to hysteria, that we not allow the media frenzy and the 
siege upon this Government to take over from what we should be doing: 
dealing with NATO enlargement, national security, dealing with the drug 
drudgery that is plaguing our society and young people, dealing with 
children's health, Medicare and Medicaid, the budget.
  Campaign finance reform, let us do it with reason and fairness. Let 
us do it with equality and opportunity for all.

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