[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 13082]]

     OPPOSE THE RESTRICTIONS ON FREE SPEECH IN SHAYS-MEEHAN MEASURE

  (Mr. CANTOR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, this body is on the verge of a very 
important vote today, a vote that at its essence is really a vote on 
whether or not to uphold the constitutional right Americans have to 
free speech.
  The restrictions in the Shays-Meehan bill are an affront to the 
Jeffersonian values of individual liberty and freedom that form the 
foundation of our country and its rule of law. Individuals, 
organizations, and businesses in our great land should be able to 
support the viewpoint and the party of their choice. If we place 
burdensome restrictions on how citizens are allowed to participate in 
our electoral process, we begin to undermine the basis of our 
Government by the people, a government to which citizens must be able 
to contribute freely.
  As we cast our vote today on campaign finance reform, I urge my 
colleagues to remember the most essential reform is to ensure that 
everyone in America has the right to decide how to contribute to our 
system of democracy.

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