[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ILLEGAL FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS ACT OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 30, 1998

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the 
Illegal Foreign Contributions Act legislation that unfairly targets 
Legal Permanent Residents by restricting their right to participate in 
political activities. Specifically, this legislation bans campaign 
contributions by Legal Permanent Residents.
  This legislation is patently unconstitutional. Legal Permanent 
Residents are like citizens in many ways: they work, they pay taxes, 
they can get drafted into the military, and they contribute to our 
economy and our society. Most importantly, the Courts have consistently 
held that Legal Permanent Residents enjoy the same First Amendments 
rights as do United States citizens. To silence legal residents in the 
arena of political speech goes against the most basic principles of our 
democracy.
  The Supreme Court established in Buckley v. Valeo that campaign 
contributions are ``political speech'', and therefore protected under 
the First Amendment. Political contributions are one of the ways that 
like-minded individuals associate in furtherance of common objectives. 
Under Buckley and subsequent cases, any law which limits expenditures 
or completely prohibits campaign contributions from particular persons 
presumptively violates the First Amendment. Regardless of whether each 
of us agrees with or likes the decision in Buckley, it is the law and 
the court's constitutional analysis applies whether the person making 
the expenditure is a citizen or a Legalized Permanent Resident. Mr. 
Speaker, I have here in my hand a letter authored by nearly 100 law 
professors stating that a ban on campaign contributions by Legal 
Permanent Residents would violate their First Amendments Rights.
  I hope that my colleagues will think carefully before casting a vote 
tonight on this legislation. I hope that they will vote to support the 
constitutional rights of our nation's Legal Permanent Residents.

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