[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 66 (Thursday, May 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H3630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            GIVE ME LIBERTY

  (Mr. DeLAY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, the First Amendment of the Constitution is 
the most famous and most effective campaign reform proposal in history. 
It has effectively protected the political freedoms of American 
citizens for over 200 years. If we leave it alone, it will protect the 
freedom of our citizens for the next 200 years.
  So why are some Members of this House so desperate to change the 
First Amendment? They want the government to have a greater role in 
determining how elections are financed and how campaigns are run. They 
want a bigger government bureaucracy, they want to sharply limit 
campaign contributions, and they want the taxpayers to finance 
political campaigns.
  Mr. Speaker, this kind of government intrusion into the election 
process would make Thomas Paine turn over in his grave. Now is the time 
for all good men to stand firm against Big Brother. Vote for free 
speech, and against amendments that take away free speech from our 
citizens.

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