[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H1976-H1977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DEMOCRATS WANT MEANINGFUL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, today Democrats are lining up for reform. 
We have had enough. We have had enough Republican leadership excuses. 
We have had enough delay. We want meaningful campaign finance reform.
  We are here lined up to sign a discharge petition to discharge all of 
the proposals, by both Republicans and Democrats, for a full and fair 
debate on the floor of this House.

                              {time}  1030

  Last year the Republicans delayed as long as they could until this 
discharge petition was approved. They finally had to bring the bill to 
the floor, and then they tried to filibuster it to death with 
amendments.
  When that filibuster failed, every single member of the Republican 
leadership, including the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) 
voted no

[[Page H1977]]

against bipartisan reform sponsored by Republicans and Democrats, and 
backed by most every good government organization in this country.
  With that background, it is very troubling to hear now the gentleman 
from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) announce in the first month of his 
speakership that he would put this vital issue on the back burner. We 
need an end to obstructionism and some real bipartisan reform.

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