[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H8156-H8157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        VOTE FOR SHAYS-MEEHAN AND DEFEAT POISON PILL AMENDMENTS

  (Mr. DAVIS of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity today to 
take an important step towards returning control of this Congress to 
the people and away from the special interests that have a 
disproportionate influence in Congress. This will be the Shays-Meehan 
bill that we will debate later today that will close two of the most 
gaping loopholes in our campaign finance system: soft money and sham 
issue ads.
  Let us be clear about what opposition we face today. The leadership 
of this House has arranged for amendments to be offered that are very 
innocuous, but will have the effect of depriving the

[[Page H8157]]

House of Representatives from voting on Shays-Meehan. This is a 
disingenuous way to conduct the debate. We need to see through it 
today.
  This is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue; this is an 
American issue. Senator McCain is leading the fight in the Senate. We 
need to come together as Democrats and Republicans today. We need to 
have an open and honest debate on campaign finance reform and defeat 
the poison pill amendments that will be offered on the bill.

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