Robert Brady

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time is left?

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hall).

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Mrs. Davis), another valued member of the House Administration Committee.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland, Chris Van Hollen.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Zoe Lofgren), a valued member of the Committee on House Administration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 additional seconds. This outcry of support reveals the DISCLOSE Act reflects the will of the American people and commands the support of their representatives. In addition, with 114 cosponsors and a broad spectrum of support, H.R. 5175 promotes openness in our politics. If Congress does not adopt the DISCLOSE Act, the public will be left in the dark to wonder whose interests are truly being served by a flood of negative advertising that will come to dominate campaigns. I urge all Members to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 30 additional seconds. The DISCLOSE Act ensures transparency and enhances accountability. It provides prompt and honest disclosure of political spending by those seeking to influence our elections. A total of six hearings were held in the House and Senate, with more than 36 expert witnesses testifying. Concerned citizens have been vocal about the potential consequences of the Citizens United decision, sending nearly 2,500 emails and making roughly 4,500 phone calls in 1 week to the Committee on House Administration, urging Congress to quickly consider legislation that addresses the loopholes created by the Citizens United ruling.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I yield myself 3 minutes. Mr. Chairman, I stand with the American people and the House leadership in support of H.R. 5175, the Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act, or the DISCLOSE Act. The legislation is designed to bring greater disclosure and transparency to election spending. The importance of this objective was reinforced in the Supreme Court's accompanying 8-1 decision that reaffirmed ``the constitutionality and necessity of laws that require the disclosure of political spending.'' Our democracy requires transparency and accountability in our political campaigns. Knowing the source of political spending allows voters to investigate the motives and to better assess the truthfulness and accuracy of the claims of the spenders and the candidates. The DISCLOSE Act is a careful response to address the likely consequences of the Citizens United decision. The bill enhances disclosure requirements for corporations, unions, and other groups that decide to make campaign-related expenditures or to transfer funds to other organizations for the purpose of engaging in campaign-related activity. This improvement to current disclosure requirements allows voters to follow the money and ensure that special-interest money cannot hide behind sham organizations and shell corporations. If outside groups spend their funds in campaigns, the Supreme Court has recognized it as essential to hold them accountable. Voters have a right to know who is trying to buy our elections. The bill expands disclaimers to require CEOs or highest-ranking officials of organizations that sponsor political advertisements to record ``stand by your ad'' disclaimers as well as to protect taxpayer dollars from misuse by preventing certain government contractors and TARP beneficiaries from making campaign-related expenditures. The DISCLOSE Act also closes a loophole created by Citizens United to ensure that foreign corporations and foreign governments are not able to influence American elections by spending unlimited sums through their U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates. By allowing these entities to fund campaign communications, foreign-controlled corporations could use potentially bottomless coffers to influence the course of political debate and play a role in writing U.S. policy. Considerable attention has been focused on a narrow exemption included in the bill, which is designed to accommodate nonprofit issue advocacy groups, which long have participated in political activity of which its dues-paying members are aware of and support. To be eligible for the exemption, an organization must have more than 500,000 dues- paying members, with a presence in all 50 States, have had tax-exempt status for the previous 10 years, and derive no more than 15 percent of its funding from corporate or union sources. It cannot use any corporate or union money to pay for campaign-related expenditures. The narrowness of the existing exemption will prevent future organizations from being formed to function only as ``dummy,'' or sham groups, existing only to make campaign expenditures but without needing to disclose their major funders. Exempted groups will still be required to file publicly available reports disclosing their campaign-related expenditures, and the CEOs of these groups will still have to appear in and take responsibility for all campaign-related ads run by their group.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Teague).

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased again to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen).

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 5175 and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, during consideration of H.R. 5175 pursuant to House Resolution 1468, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), or his designee, may control 10 minutes of the general debate time allocated to the chair of the Committee on House Administration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life and work of my friend Robert Mannings. Robert dedicated his life to serving his community and he will be sorely missed. Born in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Robert Mannings was the oldest of three children. Educated in the New Jersey public school system, Robert entered the U.S. Army in 1952, serving his country during the Korean War. After his service in Korea, Robert moved to Philadelphia and quickly established strong ties to the community. A long-time member of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Robert was dedicated to bettering his neighborhood. He served in various positions within the Church, such as a member of the Men Usher Board and Men of Mount Carmel. For over 20 years, Robert served as the president of the Dewey and Race Streets Civic Organization, providing outreach and necessary services to those in his community. Robert headed ``Let's Talk About It'' seminars and starred in a video called ``Putting the Pieces Back Together'', both dealing with cancer. In recognition of his hard work, Robert was awarded the American Cancer Society's Volunteer Achievement Award and the Carl Mansfield, M.D. Award. Robert Mannings' long and impressive career showcases his commitment, service, and dedication to bettering his community. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in celebrating the life and accomplishments of Mr. Mannings, and honor him for the great work he has done for the people of Philadelphia.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I heard that what we have to do is ask the Clerk. Why are we doing this? We make laws. We are making a law here now. We are telling the Clerk. We are not only telling this Clerk. We are telling any Clerk that we want to put a Web site on the Clerk's page for our constituents to see. Then I hear that we're spending time arguing. We're not spending time arguing. You're spending time arguing over something that doesn't pertain to this bill. We're not spending time arguing. We would have gotten done in 5 minutes, but because you wouldn't let me speak and because you're allowed to, you're arguing, not us. So, with that, I thank the gentleman from New York for his great contribution to transparency. Transparency, transparency, transparency. When we go a little step further, we get a rebuttal. I thank the gentleman for his sunshine--for making people see easily without looking through all of the other Web sites, rather just on the Web site of the Clerk of the House, and we're getting that. So I thank the gentleman from New York for his contribution to transparency and to sunshine in government. I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished sponsor of the resolution, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The American people are increasingly interested in the nuts and bolts of the legislative process. Americans are especially interested in the Congressional Budget Office's estimates of how pending legislation may increase or decrease the budget deficit. Under House rules, CBO cost estimates are included in committee reports which are printed once filed with the Clerk and later made available online, but the cost estimates in committee reports are not particularly easy to find online within those committee reports, even if one knows where to look. The gentleman's resolution will make it easier to find cost estimates by having the Clerk link her Web site directly to the CBO public site. This excellent proposal will make CBO spending-related information more widely available than it is now. I have consulted with the Clerk's office, which supports the idea and has assured me the cost will be minimal. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the measure now under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman for his support. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge the passage of this resolution.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I yield the gentlelady 1 additional minute.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution now under consideration.