[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   H.R. 1025, CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 1997

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I have introduced H.R. 1025 which 
places the same limits on the contributions made to the Democratic 
National Committee and the Republican National Committee as is 
currently in effect for contributions made to all candidates for 
Federal office.
  The out-of-control taking and soliciting of contributions by the 
political parties is an abuse that can be easily corrected.
  The public confidence in Congress is shattered because we have 
allowed the mockery of political auction to buy into our favor.
  We absolutely cannot sit this one out. There are no excuses left. 
Congress will be spending upwards of $10 million to investigate past 
actions and to quibble that it wasn't illegal.
  The point is we all know what the problem is * * * unlimited giving--
$100,000, $200,000, $600,000 or $1 million, going, going, gone to the 
highest bidder.
  That is not what politics should be like. Philanthropy is one thing, 
but buying access is quite another. It must stop.
  Until we put in place limits as we have learned to live by in our own 
campaigns, we can expect the situation to get worse.
  Now is the time to say, enough is enough. Let's everybody live by the 
same rules.
  In other countries we would call it bribes. What's the difference--we 
call it soft money.

                          ____________________