[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11275-S11276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. President, this morning the Senate was once 
again blocked from considering campaign finance reform legislation. As 
a result, the ISTEA reauthorization bill has been delayed.
  What happened today was clear. Intense opposition to any 
consideration of campaign finance reform legislation has precluded 
consideration of one of the most important measures to come before the 
Senate this year, the ISTEA reauthorization bill. ISTEA has been 
derailed for the time being because the majority party has refused to 
agree to even schedule a debate on campaign finance reform. They have 
refused the will of a majority of the Senate to engage in a debate over 
an issue that goes to the very heart of our Government and our 
democratic process.
  The 48 Senators who voted against cloture today did not vote to kill 
the ISTEA reauthorization bill, as some have claimed. We did not cast 
our votes against cloture because we objected to this critically 
important highway and transit bill. Rather, we cast our votes against 
the obstructionist techniques that have been used to block debate on 
campaign finance reform legislation. We refused to cast our votes to 
end debate because there has, as of yet, not been debate over campaign 
finance reform.
  Several weeks ago, the Senate engaged in a mock debate over the 
issue. It was not a real debate. Not a single amendment was offered. 
Not a single vote was taken. It is the business of the Senate to 
consider amendments and vote on issues and debate concerns of the 
American people. None of that has happened. It was as undemocratic a 
debate as I have yet seen in the Senate, and I know that the American 
people expect more from us.
  They are frustrated and disillusioned with the current election 
process. We need to get Americans back into the system and get them 
involved in decisions that affect their lives. We need campaign finance 
reform to restore the American people's faith in the electoral process. 
Too many people believe that the current system cuts them off from 
their Government.
  A League of Women Voters study found that one of the top three 
reasons people do not vote at all is the belief that their vote will 
not make a difference. We saw the result of that cynicism in 1994 when 
just 38 percent of all registered voters headed to the polls. We saw it 
again in 1996 when only 49 percent of the voting age population turned 
out to vote, the lowest percentage of Americans to go to the polls in 
72 years.
  According to a Gallup poll conducted early this month, 59 percent of 
Americans believe that elections are generally for sale to the 
candidate who can raise the most money. When you consider how much 
money it costs to finance a modern campaign, you can understand the 
frustration. According to recent Federal Election Commission figures, 
congressional candidates spent a total of $765.3 million in the 1996 
elections, which was up 5.5 percent from

[[Page S11276]]

the record-setting 1994 level of $725.2 million.
  That figure does not include the huge amounts of so-called soft money 
spent by the political parties. In the first 6 months of the 1997-98 
election cycle, $35.4 million in soft money contributions to political 
parties was raised, outpacing the same period in the 1995-96 cycle.
  I would take a step further to remind my colleagues that there is 
even softer money than that with the independent expenditures and, of 
course, individual, wealthy people just write themselves a check and 
send themselves a thank you note, and that goes into the system. It is 
no wonder that Americans are clamoring for campaign finance reform. It 
is no wonder they believe their voices are overshadowed by special 
interests with the ability to fill campaign coffers. It is 
disheartening, Mr. President, that the majority has denied us the 
opportunity to debate this issue. It is more disheartening that they 
have denied us the chance to debate legislation to help keep the doors 
of democracy open for all Americans. They have refused to enter into a 
dialog with the American people about the contorted rules which govern 
campaigns, and about the urgent need to reform the system. They have 
refused a most reasonable request from a majority of Senators--an 
agreement that the Senate will take up consideration of campaign 
finance reform legislation, under normal procedures and normal rules, 
with amendments and votes and deliberations on the issues, sometime 
next year.

  Mr. President, we did not cast our votes today against cloture 
because we are confident that the McCain-Feingold campaign finance 
reform legislation could be enacted into law, or because every one of 
us thinks it is the ``end-all, be-all'' of campaign finance reform 
legislation, but because we believe it is imperative that the Senate 
engage in a real debate over this issue. We believe the Senate has a 
responsibility to consider this issue. We believe that what has 
happened here over the last several weeks as parliamentary blockage 
after parliamentary blockade has been erected in front of efforts to 
debate campaign finance reform has been an abrogation of the democratic 
process.
  It is the business of the Senate to debate measures, offer up 
amendments, and vote on issues, and the Senate has done none of the 
above with respect to campaign finance reform.
  It appears that, for the moment, the majority has succeeded in 
blocking debate over campaign finance reform legislation. I have no 
doubt, however, that this issue will ultimately come up, if for no 
other reason than the American people are fed up and frustrated with 
the current system.
  It also appears that, for the moment, the majority has derailed 
consideration of the ISTEA reauthorization bill. Let there be no 
illusions, however, that ISTEA is dead. It is not dead. This 
legislation is too important to simply wither. It will be taken up for 
consideration and we will enact legislation to provide our States and 
communities with at least the $180 billion in highway and transit funds 
that this legislation promises.
  I must admit that I have mixed feelings about delaying consideration 
of ISTEA. For my State of Illinois, and indeed, for the Nation's 
transportation system, delay may give us an opportunity to rework some 
of the provisions of the current ISTEA reauthorization bill that 
inadequately treat those regions of the country that are essential to 
the movement of our Nation's commerce.
  For the most part, I believe the authors of this ISTEA 
reauthorization bill have done an excellent job crafting a bill that 
strengthens many environmental provisions, allows States greater 
flexibility to support Amtrak, increases funding for a variety of 
safety initiatives, increases funding for intelligent transportation 
systems, and preserves the Department of Transportation's important DBE 
program. It is a bill that preserves many of the most important aspects 
of the original ISTEA, and that strengthens many other important 
provisions, and I commend them for their hard work and diligent efforts 
in this regard.
  This ISTEA reauthorization bill, however, fails to allocate funds in 
a manner that adequately meets the needs of our Nation's intermodal 
transportation system. It does not recognize and provide sufficient 
funds to areas of the Nation that are responsible for the majority of 
our Nation's commercial traffic. It does not adequately address the 
relationship between transportation and our economy.
  In 1991, when Congress enacted ISTEA, we stated:

       It is the policy of the United States to develop and 
     National Intermodal Transportation System that is 
     economically efficient and environmentally sound, provides 
     the foundation for the Nation to compete in the global 
     economy, and will move people and goods in an energy 
     efficient manner. . . . The National Intermodal 
     Transportation System must be the centerpiece of a national 
     investment commitment to create the new wealth of the Nation 
     for the 21st century.

  That is what the authors of the original legislation stated as a 
goal. If the next ISTEA does not follow this important declaration, if 
it does not provide adequate funding to maintain and improve the 
corridors and areas that are responsible for our Nation's commerce, the 
effects of our negligence will ripple throughout every sector of our 
economy.
  My home State of Illinois serves as the transportation hub for our 
Nation's commerce. It is home to the world's busiest airport and two of 
the world's busiest rivers. It is where the Nation's freight railroads 
come together to move goods from one side of the country to the other. 
It is the center of the Nation's truck traffic. If you add up the value 
of all truck shipments in the Nation, Illinois' has by far the largest 
share of any State. If you count the ton-miles of truck shipments that 
pass through States on their way to their final destinations, Illinois 
has by far the largest share of any State.
  Illinois' roads, therefore, must bear the weight of the largest share 
of the Nation's commercial activity. The ISTEA reauthorization bill 
does not recognize the burden this responsibility places on our roads. 
According to a recent study from the Surface Transportation Policy 
Project, Illinois has the second worst urban roads in the country. The 
newspapers all report headlines like: ``Illinois Roads in Shambles''; 
``Highways on road to ruin''; ``Illinois' roads among the worst in the 
Nation''; ``Roads in dismal shape.''
  These headlines are not surprising when you consider that Chicago is 
the Nation's largest intermodal hub. It is literally the transportation 
nexus of the Nation. It is only appropriate, therefore, that the 
national Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act recognize 
this fact and adequately provide for the enormous needs that go along 
with our status as the transportation hub of the Nation.
  Mr. President, I am confident that when the Senate does take up the 
ISTEA reauthorization bill, we will be able to work together on a 
solution that provides funds to areas with the greatest needs. I am 
also confident that the Senate will ultimately take up, consider, and 
enact serious campaign finance reform legislation. These issues are 
simply too important for there to be any other outcome.
  I yield the floor.

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