[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 15 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 BIPARTISAN CAMPAIGN REFORM ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2002

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2356) to 
     amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide 
     bipartisan campaign reform:

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, Minnesotans wanted real campaign finance 
reform last summer before the House's debate was unfortunately cut 
short, and they still want it today. We must begin cleaning up our 
campaign finance system and the Shays-Meehan bipartisan campaign 
finance reform bill is a good place to start.
  We all have the right to have our voices heard when we engage in the 
political process. Right now millions of the unregulated dollars flood 
our campaigns and continue to drown out the concerns of working 
families in Minnesota and all America. Their opinions are being lost in 
the flood of big campaign checks from special interests.
  Mr. Chairman, we should be encouraging political participation, not 
discouraging it. I've heard from too many people in my district that 
our campaign finance system is broken. It's now time this unbalanced 
system be fixed.
  Shays-Meehan will prohibit national parties, officeholders and 
candidates from raising unregulated soft money for political parties at 
all levels. State and local parties can continue with voter 
registration and get-out-the-vote activities. This bill would also 
require sham issue ads be treated like all campaign ads right before an 
election--to be paid for with regulated money that requires full 
disclosure.
  With Minnesota's unique system of public financing and contribution 
rebates, we have shown the nation how to run clean elections. Where 
else could the Republican party control the House of Representatives, 
the Democratic party control the Senate and there be an Independent in 
the Governor's mansion? Minnesotan's are used to campaigns that are 
open, honest and competitive and it shows in voter turnouts that lead 
the nation year after year.
  Campaign finance reform is critical, but we must also learn to 
control how much is spent on elections as well. I've introduced 
legislation that model's Minnesota's campaign finance system and will 
continue to work hard to take the next step in campaign finance reform 
limiting the hundreds of millions of dollars that are spent on our 
elections.
  It is not a mistake that we are considering real campaign finance 
reform today. The discharge petition I signed last year finally forced 
the Republican leadership of the House to recognize that a majority of 
Americans had finally been joined by a majority of this House in the 
fight for real campaign finance reform. We must begin now.
  Shays-Meehan will help to clean up our campaign finance system. By 
eliminating soft money, America's confidence in our political system 
will be restored.

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