[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 107 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6982-H6983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR SUPPORT ON SHAYS-MEEHAN LEGISLATION, AND 
 URGING MEMBERS TO VOTE TO RESTORE FUNDING FOR LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE 
                                  POOR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fox) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight first to thank 
the House for their support for the important Shays-Meehan legislation. 
This legislation is a landmark in that it will provide for the first 
time in many, many years an opportunity for the House to have 
meaningful campaign finance reform.
  The bill makes four major changes to our campaign finance system.
  One, it completely eliminates Federal soft money as well as State 
soft money that influences the Federal elections.
  Two, it strengthens the definition of ``express advocacy'' to include 
those radio and TV advertisements that clearly identify a Federal 
candidate which are run within 60 days of an election, or include 
unambiguous support for or opposition to a clearly identified Federal 
candidate run at any time.
  Number three, Mr. Speaker, it improves the Federal Election 
Commission disclosure and enforcement. It requires the Federal Election 
Commission reports to be filed electronically. It provides for Internet 
posting of this and other disclosure data.
  Number four, it establishes a commission to study further reforms to 
our campaign finance system.
  In addition, the bill makes other important reforms, including 
foreign money and fund-raising on government property being prohibited. 
It expands the ban on unsolicited franked mass mailings. It also makes 
other reforms which, in the opinion of those who have been observing 
the House for many years, go to the important end game of

[[Page H6983]]

making sure that, from the public's point of view, there is more 
accountability.
  I also rise to request that my House colleagues tomorrow, in the 
voice vote and the recorded vote on legal services for the poor, that 
we again do as we have in the past 2 years, restore the $109 million in 
this House so those who are truly in need and need legal representation 
in their local counties and across their States for cases involving 101 
assistance for the poor, that they support the amendment tomorrow, the 
Mollohan-Fox-Ramstad amendment, because it is so important to many of 
those who could not be represented otherwise, and who may be just one 
court case away from losing their family, losing their job, or losing 
an important matter which goes to their financial or family security.
  I thank those who will look carefully upon our debate tonight and 
hopefully support our amendment.

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