[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 130 (Thursday, September 25, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    BIPARTISAN TASK FORCE TAKING THE BOLD STEP OF BANNING SOFT MONEY

  (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, the efforts of the bipartisan task force 
have given us a very real chance for meaningful campaign finance 
reform. I am committed to seeing that this opportunity is not lost. It 
is incumbent upon this Congress that we honestly address the many flaws 
in the current system by which we finance our campaigns. Whether we 
want to admit it or not, the fact is that our campaign finance system 
is jeopardizing our credibility. We should not fool ourselves into 
believing that the problem is only the illegal activities that occur 
during campaigns. Quite to the contrary, the real problems stem from 
what is allowed under the law.
  Madam Speaker, our bill takes the bold and important step of banning 
soft money. In the last election cycle we witnessed an explosion in the 
amount of soft money. Democrats and Republicans combined to raise more 
than $260 million, and by 2000 it will be a billion dollars.

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