Date: 2002-02-13
Speaker: GEORGE MILLER (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: California

I rise today in the strongest possible support of the ShaysMeehah campaign finance reform bill to ban "soft money." Individual rights are the hallmark of our country. As nations across the globe struggle to end oppressive dictatorships. our political system shines as a beacon of equality. Every person. regardless of race. income. or religion is afforded a vote and every vote is equal. Unfortunately. the bedrock of our democracy is compromised by the constant assault of financial contributions to the political system. Instead of one person. one vote. campaign contributions are taking our system towards a one dollar. one vote system. Every aspect of our life is impacted by the influence big contributions are having over elected officials. Enron is a case study in how huge corporate contributions undermine the publics confidence in our democracy. The shadow of doubt grows each day that Vice President CHENEY refuses to release meeting records related to the development of the Bush administrations energy policy. We need to reform campaign finance law to ensure that corporations and special interest groups are not able to purchase political influence. turning Congress and the Presidency into a "cash and carry" operation. A recent article in the Washington Post tells a story which should send a chill down the spine of every American who cherishes our democratic system. According to the February 10. 2002.. Washington Post article. "Hard Money. Strong Arms and Matrix: How Enron Dealt with Congress. Bureaucracy." Enron turned campaign finance contributions into a science. According to the article. With each proposed change in federal regulations. lobbyists punch details into a computer. allowing Enron economists in Houston to calculate just how much a rule change would cost. If the final figure was too high. executives used it as the cue to stoke their vast influence machine. mobilizing lobbyists and dialing up politicians who had accepted some of Enrons million in campaign contributions. To raise campaign cash. Enron relied not just on individual contribution but also on a wellfunded political action committee that distributed money to candidates of both parties . . . Since 1990. Enrons political committees have given federal candidates and parties more than $1 million. Mr. Chairman. campaign finance reform comes down to just one. very important thingprotecting our democracy. Because of large. unregulated contributions. known as "soft money." special interests and corporations often get special representation by elected officials. special representation that often is in conflict with the larger public interest. Critical issues in our society are directly affected by the undo influence of narrow special interests. particularly when there is money at stake. Energy companies. for example. can negotiate a $30 billion tax cut while the Bush Administration submits a budget to Congress that actually cuts the total level of funding for the historic education reforms that just one month ago he signed into law. Pick any issue that you care about. Campaign finance reform is needed to allow those issues to have their day in Congress and. the White House. Issues such as health care. making child care affordable and of high quality. protecting the environment. protecting Social Security or providing a real prescription drug benefit through Medicare and care for Seniors. Instead of a system that gives the greatest deference to those in greatest need. the voices of narrow special interests use large unregulated political contributions to drown out the voices of our average citizens. Things have got to change. Today. the House of Representatives will again take up legislation to significantly reform our .campaign finance laws. Last year. the Republican leadership resorted to parliamentary tricks to water down bipartisan campaign finance reform legislation which had passed the Senate. However. supporters of clean campaigns were not deterred. It took 218 Members of the House. including me. to sign a "discharge petition" that forced the Republican leadership to bring this important matter before the entire Congress again for a vote. While we are assured a vote today. opponents of reform. including the Republican leadership of this House. are working hard to once again use parliamentary tricks to block or weaken meaningful campaign finance reform. My hope is that the collapse of Enron is the straw that will break the back of opposition to real campaign finance reform. We need reform that will shine the light on the shadows of doubt left by the Enron scandal. We need to pass the ShaysMeehan soft money ban today so that tomorrow our children can have a brighter future..