[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7018-H7019]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEMOCRATS COMMITTED TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)

[[Page H7019]]

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to join with the gentlewoman from 
Oregon [Ms. Hooley] in expressing sympathy for the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Pascrell] on the death of the gentleman's father.
  Mr. Speaker, Democrats are determined to bring campaign finance 
reform to the floor, despite the Republican leadership's reluctance to 
do so. The problem with congressional elections is that they cost too 
much, and increasingly the average American cannot run for Congress. 
The public feels that their vote does not count because of the 
influence wealthy people have through their ability to contribute large 
sums of money to a campaign.
  My home State of New Jersey sets a very good example of a public 
financing system that we use for our Governor's race that is going on 
now. Contributions to the Governor's race, I should mention, are 
limited. But more important, the amount of private money is capped and 
then matched with public funds, so that the overall expenditures of the 
race remain basically even for Democrat and Republican candidates.

                              {time}  1030

  I would like to see the same type of system for congressional raises. 
I believe the public would support this as an alternative to the 
current race for dollars. Democrats, Mr. Speaker, will continue to 
press for campaign finance reform.

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