For the People Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

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Mr. CROW. Madam Chairwoman, I rise today in opposition to the amendment.

This amendment would strike a critical provision of H.R. 1 that cracks down on organizations that are flooding our elections with dark money. In the 2018 cycle, $150 million was spent by groups that did not have to disclose their donors. Voters had no idea who was spending this money to influence their vote.

What it does is create a system in Washington that leaves elected officials beholden to mega-donors, rather than the needs of their constituents. This is a direct threat to our democracy, and it is coming from within this Chamber.

This is a problem that is only getting worse. Since Citizens United, dark money spending has gone up by more than 8,000 percent. Part of the problem is the law isn't being enforced. Some so-called social welfare organizations are devoting too much of their time to political activity, yet they are allowed a tax-exempt status and don't have to disclose their donors. And the IRS can't do anything about it.

We must allow the IRS to move forward on the 2013 rule to define acceptable levels of political activity by these organizations. This will create a clear standard. If a group violates this standard, and it fails to adhere to its social welfare mission, then it should lose its tax-exempt status, and it should register as a PAC.

If you are going to spend millions of dollars to influence someone's vote, then you better have the courage to stand behind your words. Instead, mega-donors have taken advantage of a loophole that allows them to donate to a tax-exempt welfare organization while hiding their identity.

All Americans should care about the abuse of social welfare organizations. It undermines the sanctity of so many other valuable and necessary organizations.

Let's be clear about what is happening here. This amendment serves one purpose: to hide mega-donor support for campaigns. Let's pull back the curtain and let Americans see who is really behind those negative ads.

Madam Chairwoman, I reserve the remainder of my time.

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Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

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Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).
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Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, this is more than one simple issue. This is about rule of law; it is about transparency; and it is about the democracy that we must become if we are to return power back to our communities.

This is already the law.

What my colleagues on the other side want to do is prevent the government from enforcing the law.

This is about rule of law and making sure we are enforcing what is already on the books, and we are prohibiting the abuse of social welfare organizations and we are bringing to light dark money.

The voters of this country deserve to know who is spending money, millions of dollars, to influence their vote. It should not be hidden. The people of our communities deserve to know who is spending that money to influence our vote, and that is why I ask folks in this Chamber, my colleagues, to oppose this amendment and let's restore our democracy and return power back to our communities.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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