[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 115 (Thursday, September 4, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H6805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 AMERICANS DESERVE A VOTE ON SOFT MONEY

  (Mr. TIERNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today in rising and 
asking for a vote on campaign finance reform. I understand the desire 
of many Members of this House to go home and talk about the things that 
have been accomplished to date, and no doubt there is much that has 
been accomplished.
  But we have unfinished business, Mr. Speaker. Education obviously is 
one piece of that business, but when we do it, we need to speak with a 
credible voice. We are not going to speak with a credible voice unless 
the American people really believe that the people here are voting on 
their interests, the interests of the American people, and not on 
special interests. We can do that if we address campaign finance 
reform. We should talk about it in the most comprehensive terms, but we 
should at the very least talk about doing away with soft money.
  No matter what party may have had grievances in the past, no matter 
what individuals may be called into question, the only way that this 
body gets any bit of comprehensive faith and trust from the American 
people is if we take on the issue, we debate it, we deliberate, and we 
vote on campaign finance reform before we go home this session. It is 
the American people's business; it is our business to see to it.

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