[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMON SENSE CAMPAIGN REFORMS OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 1997

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, when I arrived in this House back in 
1993, I was amazed at how desperately Congress was in need of 
fundamental reform. While we've come a long way since then, we still 
have a long way to go. Today, I am continuing the effort I began in 
1993 to bring fundamental changes to the way our Federal Government 
operates by introducing a package of five bills to reform our flawed 
Federal election laws. These bills have been developed in cooperation 
with renowned political analyst Larry Sabato, professor of government 
at the University of Virginia and the coauthor of ``Dirty Little 
Secrets,'' a brilliant yet scathing indictment of our political system 
and a blueprint for how we can make the changes that are needed to 
restore the public's faith in its system of government.
  The five bills are as follows: The first would make it illegal to 
receive or solicit political contributions in the White House, Camp 
David, or any other official residence or retreat of the President or 
Vice President. This would address the ambiguity in current law that 
has led to the controversy surrounding the current administration. The 
second bill would clarify that House Members cannot pay their 
congressional staff to work on their reelection campaigns while also on 
the congressional payroll. The third bill would require the electronic 
filing of Federal Election Commission reports and expedite the 
reporting of large contributions to principal campaign committees. The 
fourth bill would address the problem of push-polling, a practice by 
which unnamed persons conduct smear campaigns against opponents by 
providing misleading or false information while conducting a telephone 
poll. The bill would require the person or group supporting the push 
poll to identify themselves if the poll uses a sample of over 1,200 
people and is conducted during the final 10 days of a campaign.
  Finally, the fifth bill would make a number of changes to improve and 
remove flaws from the motor-voter law enacted in 1993. The bill would 
require proof of citizenship and/or a Social Security number to 
register for Federal elections. It would also allow for the removal of 
certain registrants from the official list of eligible voters. It also 
permits States to require individuals to produce a photo ID in order to 
vote in a Federal election. The bill also repeals the provisions of the 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 that mandate registration by mail. The 
bill would require a registrant's signature at the time of voting 
which, if necessary, could eventually be compared to the signature on 
the registration card. Finally, the bill would repeal the provisions of 
the act that allows individuals who have recently moved within a county 
or district to vote at the voting location of either the new or former 
address.
  These bills face an uphill fight in the Congress. But, I believe they 
represent good ideas which bring real reform to a Federal Government 
that often remains out of touch and unaccountable to the American 
families and businesses that we are supposed to be representing. Thank 
you.

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