[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TAXPAYER PROTECTION AND IRS ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 9, 2002

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my opposition 
to the inclusion of the controversial ``527'' provision in this bill.
  I am appalled by the Leadership's efforts to railroad us on this 
issue. By manipulating the rule to try to prevent the Minority from 
offering amendments, the Leadership has clearly shown that they support 
the old way of conducting campaigns. This otherwise bipartisan bill has 
now become mired in these blatant attempts to undo the progress we've 
made on campaign finance reform.
  We recently passed landmark bipartisan legislation that enacted real 
reforms in the way we finance our elections. As part of that effort, 
this body voted for stricter disclosure requirements for groups who 
sponsor so-called ``issue ads'' so that we could bring honesty back to 
the American political process.
  Now here we are less than two months later, and the Leadership is 
already trying to open up loopholes in existing law so that some 
organizations would be exempt from filing reports about contributions 
and expenditures.
  What would this mean for the end to soft money? These supposedly 
independent groups would become the channels for Big Money to continue 
to control our elections.
  We've voted to take soft money out of politics. A vote for this 
legislation is a vote against the American people.




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