[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mr. FARR of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we are 
finally getting around to campaign finance reform, which as many people 
know, I have authored the major bill on campaign finance reform which 
will be debated.
  So the idea that we are debating campaign finance reform is music to 
my ears, but then I look at the way it has all been set up and I am 
reminded of the song in Musicman that goes, ``Talk a little, pick a 
little, talk a little, pick a little; talk, talk, talk, talk, pick a 
little, pick a little.''
  Well, that is exactly what we are doing. We are talking a lot and we 
are picking it apart. There are 258 amendments to 11 different 
measures. I think the debate is designed to be confusing, it is 
designed to go on and on and on and on. It is designed to never have 
anyone coalesce around any one of the bills.
  Mr. Speaker, last night the Republican Party went out and raised $10 
million, and today they are going to get up and talk about campaign 
finance reform. You bet we need it.

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