Steny Hoyer

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), a member of the Committee on House Administration.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who has fought for democracy and voting rights probably more than anybody in this body.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield the balance of our time to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Democratic whip.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis), who has been a leader on campaign finance reform since he first arrived in January 1997.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, no, sir.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) to respond to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) may each control 5 minutes of the time allocated to me, and that they may yield such time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Chairman, I have in my hand a letter from Mr. Larry Noble, executive director and general counsel of the Center for Responsive Politics, who was the former general counsel of the Federal Election Commission, and I quote from that letter: ``It is clear under Federal election law that only hard money can be used to pay off a loan that was used for hard money expenditures.'' Constantly, the other side has been using as a windmill that they want to have us quixotically focus on, this incorrect claim that we somehow allow soft money to be used to pay off hard money debt. The letter goes on to say, ``I see nothing in section 402(b)(1) of the Shays-Meehan Substitute,'' referred to by so many of the speakers, ``that would supersede current Federal law. Under section 402(b)(1), soft money funds on hand after elections could only be used to pay off debts or obligations used for soft money expenditures.'' Mr. Chairman, I provide for the Record the letter I just quoted from. Center for Responsive Politics, Washington, DC, February 13, 2002. Hon. Christopher Shays, Longworth Building, Washington, DC. Dear Congressman Shays: This is in response to your question regarding whether a national committee of a political party can use soft money to pay off a debt or obligation that was used to fund expenditures that must be paid for with hard money. It is clear under federal election law that only hard money can be used to pay off a loan that was used for hard money expenditures. I see nothing in Section 402(b)(1) of the Shays-Meehan Substitute Amendment that would supersede current federal law. Under Section 402(b)(1), soft money funds on hand after the election could only be used to pay off debts or obligations used for soft money expenditures. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Larry Noble, Executive Director and General Counsel, (Former General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran.)

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute, and then I will yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) for the purpose of closing. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Armey substitute. The debate here is saying that if you do not vote to ban all soft money, do not vote to ban any soft money. When the proponents of the amendment to ban all soft money know that its inevitable effect will be to ban no soft money, does that sound somewhat Orwellian? It is. Does it sound like giving with the right hand and taken away with the left? It is. My friends, all of us know, everybody in America knows, there is but one opportunity to ban at least a large portion of soft money, and that is Shays-Meehan. Vote against this Armey substitute.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, for the purposes of closing debate on this important amendment, I yield the remaining time to the cosponsor of this legislation, the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) may each control 5 minutes of the time allocated to me and that they may yield time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), the distinguished former speaker of the Maryland House, member of the Committee on Ways and Means and my good friend.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind). (Mr. KIND asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Inslee). (Mr. INSLEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), a former mayor of Cleveland and an outstanding reformer in our body.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Ms. McCarthy). (Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley).

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).