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Late Breaking News |
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| Date: August 6, 1998 3:03 pm Contact: League of Women Voters Vicki Paris 202-429-1965, ext. 301 |
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Latest News Releases
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League of Women Voters Cheers House Passage of Campaign Finance Reform Bill | ||
| WASHINGTON - August 6 - Today, the League of Women Voters of the United
States cheered the House for passing and sending to the Senate the Shays-Meehan campaign
finance reform bill. The legislation sponsored by Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) and Martin Meehan (D-Mass.) effectively bans "soft money," requires "sham" issue ads to be funded and disclosed like other campaign activities, and strengthens disclosure and enforcement of campaign financing. "The fight in the Senate will be difficult, but doable," said Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, president of the League of Women Voters. While the companion bill in the Senate, sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), did not get cloture in earlier consideration, House passage of reform "means we are in a whole new ballgame," said Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins. In earlier consideration, the Senate was sending a bill to the House where it was expected to be defeated. With the rejuvenating vote in the House, the Senate could pass the bill and send it to the president's desk to be signed in to law. "League members will be lobbying senators and energizing grassroots activists all around the country," said Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins. During House consideration, one of the biggest threats to Shays-Meehan was the freshman bill. While authored in good faith, the freshman bill was used by opponents of reform to try and derail Shays-Meehan. The bill did not provide for disclosure of contributions that pay for "sham" issue ads, allowing unlimited contributions from corporations, wealthy individuals and labor unions. In addition to the freshman bill, the Shays-Meehan legislation fought off many "killer" amendments aimed at destroying it. One of the amendments offered and defeated as part of the Shays-Meehan bill would have effectively gutted the "motor-voter" law. Strongly supported by the League, this law is responsible for helping to register more Americans for the 1996 elections than in any other time since records have been kept. "The League has always encouraged and tried to make voting more accessible for citizens. Motor-voter helps American citizens to register to vote more conveniently. We will not allow anyone to weaken it," said Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins. -0- |
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