[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 97 (Friday, June 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEMOCRACY IS STRENGTHENED BY CASTING LIGHT ON SPENDING IN ELECTIONS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 24, 2010

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5175) to 
     amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit 
     foreign influence in Federal elections, to prohibit 
     government contractors from making expenditures with respect 
     to such elections, and to establish additional disclosure 
     requirements with respect to spending in such elections, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to support the DISCLOSE Act, 
legislation to boost transparency and accountability in U.S. elections.
  The January, 5-4 Supreme Court decision in the Citizen's United v. 
FEC case allows for unprecedented corporate and union influence in our 
elections, overturning many years of banning these groups from spending 
their general treasury funds on political expenditures in Federal 
elections.
  With the 2010 election season months away, it is imperative that we 
not let individual voices be drowned out by billions of dollars in 
special interest funds. For this reason, I am pleased to have worked 
with Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on the bill before us 
today, the DISCLOSE Act.
  Critics have argued that this legislation stifles free speech in 
election advertising, when in reality, under this bill, campaign 
advertisements will continue as before, only now, we will know who is 
spending money to air the ad. Opponents have also claimed that the bill 
gives special treatment to unions over corporations, yet the bill 
requires the same disclosure for both unions and corporations alike. I 
believe in protecting the right of every American to know who is behind 
the advertisements they see every campaign season, and under the 
disclosure requirements in this bill, they will know this information.
  The DISCLOSE Act will require corporations and unions to disclose to 
the FEC and to the American people who is funding their campaign 
advertisements; and it also requires a CEO, Union Leader, or leader of 
any other covered organization, to ``stand by their ad'' and say they 
approve a campaign message, just like candidates are currently 
required.
  I have worked to ensure all groups that seek to influence the outcome 
of elections--both unions and corporations--are equally subject to the 
same disclosure and disclaimer provisions set forth in this bill. As a 
longtime supporter of strengthening the nation's campaign finance laws, 
I remain deeply concerned with efforts to carve out exemptions from 
this requirement for certain groups, and continue to oppose creating 
loopholes that will weaken them. For this reason, I opposed the 
Manager's Amendment.
  The DISCLOSE Act will help bring greater transparency to political 
advertising, and I encourage my colleagues to support passage of this 
important measure.

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