[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 70 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN INTEGRITY ACT OF 1997

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 22, 1998

  The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2183) to amend the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reform the financing of campaigns for 
elections for Federal office, and for other purposes:

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Chairman, literally, money talks and 
when it speaks it practically drowns out all other political discourse. 
Money has distorted, corrupted and perverted our political system.
  It's time to get back to the basics of democracy. We are past the 
time for half way and half hearted patches on the system. Belief that 
disclosure alone will remedy the problem is like believing in the tooth 
fairy. Solving the problem by just regulating ``soft money'' is about 
as likely to happen as expecting pigs to fly.
  I believe that the basic principles of campaign reform are these:
  1. Seriously take some of the money out of the equation.
  2. Provide some public financing for all federal campaigns.
  3. Set a limit on federal candidates use of personal funds.
  4. Provide voters with enough unfiltered information to make informed 
choices. Open up T.V., radio and other media for discussion of the 
issues by the candidates.
  5. Shorten the election cycle.
  6. Create a truly independent regulatory agency to monitor and make 
public the spending of campaign monies.
  7. Require paid lobbyists to publicly report who and when they lobby.
  8. Create universal voter registration. Encourage experimentation 
with mail and electronic ballots and multiple day elections.
  9. Require full disclosure of all independent expenditures.
  The fact that many Americans indicate that they have lost confidence 
in the functioning of our democratic elections and that many do not 
vote should be both a warning and a summons for us to act.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge that we take heed.

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