Campaign Finance Legislation
Floor Speech
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Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, this week, I introduced three pieces of landmark campaign finance reform legislation. Out-of-control campaign spending has reached a dangerous level in this country and we must reform our campaign finance system if we are to restore voting power back to the American people.
First, I have introduced a Constitutional Amendment granting Congress and the States the power to establish limits on contributions and expenditures in elections for public office. This amendment nullifies Citizens United v. FEC. Additionally, the amendment concludes that First Amendment protections do not apply to the political speech of corporations and other business organizations with respect to the disbursement of funds in connection with public elections.
Second, I have introduced a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the U.S. Supreme Court misinterpreted the First Amendment in the case of Buckley v. Valeo when it equated campaign spending with free speech. It is clear that Buckley v. Valeo failed to recognize that unlimited spending of money on elections has a corrosive effect on the electoral process. In order to secure free speech as a right of `we the people,' this misinterpretation must be reversed.
Last, the Fairness in Political Advertising Act would require television broadcasting stations to make available 2 hours of free advertising broadcast time in each even-numbered year to each qualified political candidate in a statewide or national election. This would help level the playing field for viable candidates running against campaigns bankrolled by special interests.
My entire career in Congress, I have served in the People's House. We, the elected members of the House of Representatives, must stand with the people, not major corporations or wealthy donors who give millions to super PACs. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and return the power over our Democracy back to the American people.
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