[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11055]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1220
                A DEMOCRACY ABOUT PEOPLE AND NOT DOLLARS

  (Mr. HIMES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HIMES. Madam Speaker, I rise this morning not to advocate a 
Democratic position nor to refute a Republican idea. Instead, I rise to 
highlight a fundamental threat to our ability to have that important 
debate. I refer, of course, to the hundreds of millions--indeed, 
billions--of dollars that will influence who comprises this otherwise 
democratic body, which may very well determine who occupies the 
Presidency next.
  In each of our hearts, those of us in this Chamber called to 
represent people know that that cannot possibly be right. That is why I 
will cosponsor two possible constitutional amendments to reverse the 
damage of Citizens United--H.J. Res. 111 and H.J. Res. 78.
  This should not be partisan. Today, it looks like the dollars are 
behind the Republicans; but tomorrow, that may be different. So let's 
join, let's stand together for our democracy and back a constitutional 
amendment to make our democracy about people, not about dollars.

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