[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 32 (Monday, August 10, 1998)]
[Page 1563]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Congressional Action on Campaign Finance Reform Legislation

August 3, 1998

    Tonight's vote for the Shays-Meehan bill is a breakthrough in the 
fight for bipartisan campaign finance reform. The breadth of its 
support, from Members of both parties, showed that reform is an idea 
whose time has come, even in the face of persistent obstruction by the 
Republican leaders of Congress. It is time to ban soft money, improve 
disclosure, and curb backdoor campaign spending. Now a majority of both 
the House and the Senate have gone on record for this legislation. I 
urge the House to move this legislation to final passage before they 
adjourn for the August recess. And I urge the Republican leaders of the 
Senate, who are using procedural tactics to block this measure, to 
listen to the will of the majority and the loud voice of the American 
people. I congratulate Representatives Chris Shays, Martin Meehan, and 
their colleagues for their courage and their persistence.