Carolyn Kilpatrick

Ms. KILPATRICK

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1\3/4\ minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Adam Smith), someone who has been waiting a long time this afternoon.

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Rivers).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders). (Mr. SANDERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Poshard).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute and 15 seconds to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur). (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stabenow).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, as a member of the committee, Madam Chairman, who heard much of the testimony on the campaign finance reform legislation we are discussing today, I am very happy that we have finally come to this point where we can have some debate and open the process so that everyone who feels very strongly about this topic can have their opportunity to speak. Real campaign finance reform has to speak to the needs of the American citizens. What we have heard from some of our speakers already, and what we know from the tallies that have come in from across America, is that American citizens are not voting. And they are not voting for a number of reasons, one of which I contend is they feel their vote does not count; that there is too much money in the system, and that their $20, $30, $50 donations will not be accepted in a way where their votes can be heard. So I am happy today that we are discussing campaign finance reform and that real campaign finance reform has three elements: It bans soft money, it requires full disclosure from those who give money, and cleans up third-party expenditures so that special interest groups do not control the political process. I hope as we continue this debate today that we will keep that in mind. American citizens want to participate in their government. It is our responsibility to see that we make it possible that they do that. Banning soft money, requiring full disclosure and cleaning up third- party interests that control and dominate our politics will make Americans feel that this government is theirs again. The House Oversight Committee has heard testimony from over 40 members of Congress, and listened to over 20 hours of earnest, bi- partisan testimony on an issue that affects all of us: campaign finance reform. While we might disagree over the shape, form, or function that much-needed campaign finance reform must take, we all agree that this effort should not be done in such a manner as to be unfair, unjust, or unwise. Along with a majority of my colleagues, we rejected earlier, bogus attempts that brought up this most worthy debate under the most unworthy of circumstances. While I am glad to say that we are having debate on campaign finance reform, it is still a skewed debate. We will not have any votes on campaign finance reform before the end of May, as the Speaker promised. We will debate eleven separate bills, all with amendments. This is onerous, burdensome and illogical, and is a significant and severe disservice to the American people. As a Member of the House Oversight Committee, I specifically did not co-sponsor any campaign finance reform bill, with the exception of the bill that would establish a commission to decide what shape and form campaign finance reform should take. During this debate, it is vital that we remember one important aspect: we are considering campaign finance reform, not campaign reform. This debate should not denigrate into a discussion of non-germane or ballot integrity issues. We dealt with many of these issues during the discussion of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's election earlier this year. Real campaign finance reform does three things: it bans soft money; it requires full disclosure of contributors, and it cleans up expenditures from special interest groups. We need to restore the faith of the American people in our system of government. We need to ensure the accountability of those who participate in and contribute to candidates. We need campaign finance reform. Real campaign finance reform limits the amount of money in elections. Real campaign finance reform reduces the role of special interests in campaigns. Real campaign finance reform restores the faith of the American people in our system of government. Real campaign finance reform does not limit the rights of workers to participate in our political process. Real campaign finance reform does not limit the hard-won voting rights of minorities. Real campaign finance reform does not make it more difficult for citizens to register to vote, find out who is funding a campaign or cut fiscal support for the Federal Elections Commission. Before I was elected to this august body, I served as a Michigan State Representative. As such, I fought, and still fight, for the right of everyday citizens, the disenfranchised, and the powerless to participate in our process of government. By limiting the ability of people, through fostering mistrust in our system of government, people will not vote. We hinder, not help, the Constitution that we have all sworn to defend and protect. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes. (Ms. KILPATRICK asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), who has spent a lot of time on this issue and one of the sponsors of one of the bills we will be further debating.

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Schumer). (Mr. SCHUMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Baesler).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 12 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan) who has one of the most popular bills and certainly a bipartisan bill.

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Levin]. (Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, may I inquire as to the remaining time on both sides?

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), the Lone Star State.

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford).

Ms. KILPATRICK

Ms. KILPATRICK. Madam Chairman, because I was unavoidably detained in the 15th Congressional District, I missed several roll call votes. Had I been present, I would have voted Nay on roll call number 142, Aye on roll call vote number 143, and Aye on roll call number 144.