[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       LEGISLATION TO OPEN PARTICIPATION IN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 22, 1998

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to 
open participation in presidential debates to all qualified candidates. 
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  My bill amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to 
organizations staging a presidential debate to invite all candidates 
that meet the following criteria: the candidate must meet all 
Constitutional requirements for being President (e.g., at least 35 
years of age, born in the United States), the candidate must have 
qualified for the ballot in enough states such that the candidate has a 
mathematical chance of receiving the minimum number of electoral votes 
necessary for election, and the candidate must qualify to be eligible 
for matching payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund.
  This legislation will ensure that in a presidential election campaign 
the American people get an opportunity to see and hear from all of the 
qualified candidates for president. Staging organizations should not be 
given the subjective authority to bar a qualified candidate from 
participation in a presidential debate simply because a subjective 
judgment has been made that the candidate does not have a reasonable 
chance of winning the election.
  The American people should be given the opportunity to decide for 
themselves whether or not a candidate has a chance to be elected 
president. So much is at stake in a presidential election. A 
presidential election isn't just a contest between individual 
candidates. It is a contest between different ideas, policies and 
ideologies. At a time when our country is facing many complex problems, 
the American people should have the opportunity to be exposed to as 
many ideas, policies and proposals as possible in a presidential 
election campaign.
  My bill will ensure that this happens. It will give the American 
people an opportunity to hear new and different ideas and proposals on 
how to address the problems facing our nation. I have confidence that 
the American people are wise enough to make a sound decision.
  Some of the basic principles America was founded on was freedom of 
speech and freedom of ideas. I was deeply disappointed that in the 1996 
presidential campaign, the ideas of qualified candidates for president 
were not allowed to be heard by the American people during the 
presidential debates. It is my hope that Congress will pass my 
legislation and ensure that the un-American practice of silencing 
qualified for candidates for president is permanently put to a stop.
  Once again, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

                          ____________________