[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10738-10739]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM LEGISLATION

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, our effort to mandate full disclosure from 
clandestine political organizations began with a bipartisan appeal. 
Unfortunately, it has gone largely unanswered. Unlike the Senate, where 
an idea that began here in the House, was approved last week as the 
McCain-Feingold-Lieberman amendment, the House Republican leadership 
has steadfastly opposed reform.
  Finally, last week, they promised a vote on this vital reform issue 
during this month. This morning we have a way to assure that promise is 
fulfilled through the signing of this discharge petition. I call on my 
colleagues, both

[[Page 10739]]

Democratic and Republican, to join with us on the petition to guarantee 
that we get at least a little campaign finance reform in time for this 
year's election.
  The developments since last week have not been all that promising. 
One Republican says their bill may exempt this year's election. Another 
says that Tom DeLay, who has been so involved in promoting these 
organizations is a principal advisor in drafting the reforms. Let us 
clean up this mess now. It can be done. It must be done. We can yet 
achieve a bipartisan victory on campaign finance reform, just as the 
Senate has done, by signing this discharge petition and having a full 
debate concerning reform this very month.

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