[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

            By Mr. PRICE of North Carolina:
        H.R. 414.
        Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Congressional power to provide for public financing of 
     presidential campaigns arises under the General Welfare 
     Clause, Art. I, Sec. 8, of the Constitution. In Buckley v. 
     Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 91 (1976), the Supreme Court upheld the 
     congressional power to enact public financing of presidential 
     elections under this Clause. The Supreme Court stated with 
     regard to the provisions in the Federal Election Campaign Act 
     Amendments of 1974 establishing a presidential public 
     financing system, ``In this case, Congress was legislating 
     for the `general welfare'--to reduce the deleterious 
     influence of large contributions on our political process, to 
     facilitate communication by candidates with the electorate, 
     and to free candidates from the rigors of fundraising.''