[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                URGING SUPPORT FOR THE 527 FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, all of us remember the summer of 527s. Groups 
organized on the left and right under section 527 of the Internal 
Revenue Code spent nearly $400 million in the midst of the Presidential 
campaigns while the Nation's two major political parties, its most 
respected labor unions, associations, businesses, and constitutional 
groups seemed to stand on the sideline in mute amazement.
  In response to that summer of 527s, some here in Washington, D.C. 
want to exert even more regulation and control, and that is certainly 
their right to pursue. But the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Wynn) and I 
have a different approach. We believe that the only proper response to 
inequities in the political economy of a free society is more freedom, 
not less freedom.

                              {time}  1015

  The Pence-Wynn bill is our effort to restore freedom and fairness to 
political parties and outside organizations, to give them the 
opportunity to compete more effectively with not only 527 organizations 
but their progeny that may arise if the Congress decides even yet to 
regulate them.
  Thomas Jefferson said, ``I would rather be exposed to the 
inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too 
small a degree of it.''
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to consider the Pence-Wynn Freedom 
resolution.

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