[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 120 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HOUSE SHOULD HEED AMERICA'S CRY FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mrs. MINK of Hawaii asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I take this time again to call upon 
the leadership of the House of Representatives to listen to the cries 
for reform from the people of this country.
  The Republicans are always saying that they are on the top of the 
issues that the people cry out for. I cannot think of anything that is 
more of concern to the people of this country than the articles that 
they keep reading in the newspaper about hundreds of thousands of 
dollars that are coming into our national parties and the huge 
political committees out of control, without regulation, without 
accountability.
  Mr. Speaker, we know that these contributions are having a serious 
impact not only upon the kind of corrupt legislation that sneaks 
through this House at midnight without our knowledge, but also a 
corrupting influence on the public's attitude about elections.
  For ourselves, when we put out our campaign solicitations we put 
right on it that the limitation is $1,000 per election. The PAC's know 
they have $5,000. Why can we not regulate soft money and ban it 
completely?

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