JOINS
DEMOCRATS IN PRESSURING REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP
FOR
VOTE ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM BILL
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today joined with other
House members to force a vote on the Shays-Meehan bill, the leading campaign
finance reform legislation in Congress.
Representative
Schakowsky and House members signed a "Discharge Petition" to allow campaign
finance reform legislation to be debated and voted on by the House of Representatives.
A discharge petition is a parliamentary tool that allows a majority of
members to force a bill that is being bottled-up in committee onto the
house floor.
Representative
Schakowsky is a cosponsor of the Shays-Meehan bill. The bill will
limit "soft money" and regulate issue advertisement paid for by special
interests. Last Congress a discharge petition was used to bring
this legislation to the floor. A bipartisan majority in the House
approved it, but a Senate filibuster killed the legislation.
"Voters
are demanding that we get big money and special interests out of campaigns
by passing a comprehensive campaign reform bill this Congress. The
Shays-Meehan bill is an important first step. But it is only the
first step," Schakowsky said.
Representative
Schakowsky said that is why she is also cosponsoring the Clean Money, Clean
Election Act, introduced by Representative John Tierney (D-MA). This bill
goes further to reform campaign laws than the Shays-Meehan legislation
by getting special interests and big money out of elections all together.
"The
influence of special interests and big-money players in the political arena
is costing voters millions of dollars in higher health care costs and utility
rates. It is time for Congress to lead the way and put special interests
out of the election business and big money out of our government," Schakowsky
said.
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