The Honorable Donna F. Edwards
Allowing Consideration of a Constitutional Amendment to Address Citizens United
January 3, 2013
Although I do support the changes to our ethics rules contained in the package, I cannot support the overall package, and I rise in opposition to the previous question for the purposes of allowing the House to consider a constitutional amendment to address the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United.
The 2012 election was the most expensive in our Nation’s history. Outside groups, including over 1,200 super PACs spent $970 million, and $123 million of anonymous cash was spent in our campaigns. All told, the price tag for last year’s election was $6 billion.
This is only the beginning. In the years to come, spending will expand at the Federal, State, and local levels – megaphones of monied interests drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans. It’s time for us to do something about it. And I don’t take amending our Constitution, our founding document, lightly. And here on this day, when we’re celebrating and commemorating this year’s 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, it’s time for all Americans to be free in our elections, to free our elections from monied interests, and to amend the Constitution so that Congress can protect the integrity of our elections.
