Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor and strong supporter of the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill to restore people's trust in the political process.
Soft money raises at least the perception of undue influence on elections and candidates.
It's time to ban soft money and erase the suspicion that Washington is for sale to the highest bidder. They're a way to avoid accountability and contribution limits. In short, they don't play by the rules. Let's do the right thing today for the American people. Let's restore trust and accountability in our political process.