[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 7, 1997

  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, today is November 7, over 4 months after the 
July 4th deadline that the President set for passage of campaign 
finance reform. I have delivered each day since that time a statement 
in the House of Representatives calling on the leadership to allow a 
vote on any one of the many campaign finance bills pending in this 
Congress. My pleas, and the request of many others, has gone 
unanswered. We are now entering into the final weekend of our 
legislative year. By Sunday we may be out of session, not to return 
until late January of next year. If we don't act this weekend we will 
never change the current system.
  The examples of abuse of the existing system are too numerous to 
mention. I have documented many of the abuses, on both sides of the 
aisle, in my earlier statements. The Republicans have invested an 
enormous amount of taxpayers' money investigating and exposing the 
alleged violations of law by the White House in the last election.
  Investigation is good. Those who broke the law should be brought to 
justice. The sad fact is, however, that many of the most well known 
abuses are technically legal. We must do more than investigate, we must 
legislate. With only a few days left, we must act now. Let's take some 
time this weekend to debate, consider, and pass campaign finance 
reform.
  The people of my district will not take no for an answer.

                          ____________________