IV
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 236
To express the sense of the House of Representatives on consideration of
comprehensive campaign finance reform.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 18, 1997
Ms. KAPTUR (for herself, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. ALLEN, Mr.
PASCRELL, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. MILLER of California, Ms. DELAURO, Ms.
ESHOO, Mr. FARR of California, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Ms. WOOLSEY,
and Mrs. MALONEY of New York) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on House Oversight
RESOLUTION
To express the sense of the House of Representatives on
consideration of comprehensive campaign finance reform.
Whereas spending on Federal election campaigns has in-
creased to an estimated $2,650,000,000 in the most re-
cent election cycle, a threefold increase over campaign
spending just 20 years ago, even after adjusting for infla-
tion;
Whereas, in the 1995–1996 election cycle, the Democratic
Party committees raised $332,000,000, a 73 percent in-
crease over the $192,000,000 raised 4 years earlier, and
the Republican Party committees raised $549,000,000, a
74 percent increase over the $316,000,000 raised 4 years
earlier;
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Whereas overall campaign spending for congressional races
has risen from $99,000,000 in 1976 to $626,000,000 in
1996, a more than sixfold increase;
Whereas since 1992, when political parties were first required
to report soft money contributions to the Federal Elec-
tion Commission, these contributions, which are raised
outside 
Federal 
election 
law, 
have 
tripled, 
from
$86,000,000 in 1992 to over $263,000,000 in the last
election cycle;
Whereas there has been a proliferation of negative ‘‘issue’’
ads paid for by political parties and interest groups to in-
fluence Federal elections, further increasing the cost of
campaigns;
Whereas as political campaigns have become longer, costlier,
and more negative, voter apathy has increased and voter
participation in Presidential elections has declined from
60 percent in 1948–1968, to 53 percent from 1972 to
1992, to an all-time low of 49 percent in 1996;
Whereas these trends will continue if Congress fails to enact
comprehensive campaign finance reform;
Whereas President Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt
Gingrich, on June 11, 1995, in Claremont, New Hamp-
shire, expressed their support for the creation of an inde-
pendent commission to write binding campaign finance
reform legislation, but no commission was ever estab-
lished; and
Whereas President Clinton, during his State of the Union ad-
dress on February 4, 1997, implored Congress to act on
campaign finance reform and pass legislation by July 4,
1997, the 221st anniversary of the birth of our democ-
•HRES 236 IH
racy, but Congress failed to meet his goal: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that the House of Representatives should pro-
ceed to the consideration of comprehensive campaign fi-
nance reform that reduces spending on political campaigns
and curtails the influence of special interest money in Fed-
eral elections by no later than October 9, 1997, and adopt
as a goal the final enactment of such legislation by no
later than October 31, 1997.
Æ