[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H4592]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            DEMOCRACY REFORM

  (Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, too many Americans feel that Washington 
is out of touch with their priorities. They feel that too few people 
have too much influence. Americans want the culture of corruption 
cultivated by rich lobbyists and massive corporations to end.
  Look no further than Big Pharma, the pharmaceutical companies. Since 
1998, they have spent $4 billion in lobbying and campaign 
contributions. They employ 1,400 lobbyists, three lobbyists for every 
Member. No wonder the system seems rigged against commonsense solutions 
to lower drug prices.
  Americans are getting a raw deal when big money controls politics. 
Democrats offer A Better Deal for our democracy: a bold, comprehensive 
program to bolster our Nation's ethics laws, overhaul our campaign 
finance system, and create more transparency and accessibility.
  Americans deserve a government that works for them. They deserve A 
Better Deal.
  I want to acknowledge Mimi Quin, with me today as part of Foster 
Youth Shadow Day.

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