[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        SUPPORT H.R. 2183, FRESHMEN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM BILL

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, Congress has spent millions of dollars to 
investigate soft money abuses, but there are many Members in this 
Chamber who will rail against certain big money contributions and then 
vote against campaign finance reform.
  The freshmen took a different tact. We put together a bill that would 
ban soft money, improve candidate reporting and require some disclosure 
of the outside group advertising. H.R. 2183 closes the soft money 
loophole, it gets elected officials, candidates, and party officials 
out of the business of raising money from corporations and unions and 
the wealthiest contributors.
  Later this week the long delayed debate on real campaign finance 
reform will begin. Now we must watch out for poison pills and red 
herrings. Poison pills are amendments that sound great but are designed 
to kill campaign finance reform; and red herrings are arguments about 
suppression of free speech that are designed for simply the same 
purpose.
  Support the freshmen bill, support campaign finance reform, let us 
get on with the business of reforming our campaign finance system.

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