[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 98 (Monday, June 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1218-E1219]
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. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursay, 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:

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the DISCLOSE Act. I 
believe this appropriately named piece of legislation is a critical 
step forward to improving transparency and limiting the influence of 
corporations in electoral politics, and I'm pleased to be a cosponsor 
of it.
  In January, the Supreme Court issued its controversial ruling in 
Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission, overturning limits 
on corporate campaign activity that had been settled law for over 100 
years. This created a guarantee of a free-for-all in campaign spending. 
I strongly disagree with the decision, and I'm pleased that the 
DISCLOSE Act will reverse the damage that the Supreme Court has 
created.
  I have been a supporter of campaign finance reform since I was first 
elected to Congress. Over a decade ago I was proud to cosponsor the 
Shays-Meehan campaign reform legislation to prevent corporations from 
buying elections.
  Today's legislation takes a number of important steps forward. It 
prevents corporations from spending money in campaigns, including those 
who receive large government contracts; those who are controlled by 
foreign entities; or those who received a government bailout through 
the TARP program.
  It also forces corporations to stand by their ads by requiring their 
CEOs to appear on camera to say they endorse the message, just as 
candidates must do. The bill would also

[[Page E1219]]

strengthen disclosure requirements in the critical weeks before an 
election.
  Under DISCLOSE, corporations will not be able to hide behind 
organizations with innocuous or vague sounding names when they run 
political ads. Organizations that sprout up overnight to participate in 
campaigns will be required to disclose their donors so voters will know 
who is sponsoring their ads, while at the same time allowing well-
established issue-advocacy groups to protect the privacy of their donor 
base.
  The American people deserve to know who attempts to influence their 
elections. Once they know who sponsors an ad, they can judge the 
content for themselves and vote accordingly. The DISCLOSE Act will help 
voters make their own decisions, a principle that is at the core of our 
democracy.
  I urge my colleagues to vote for this highly important legislation.

                          ____________________