Lawmakers move to force campaign-finance debate to House floor
By The Associated Press
07.31.01
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WASHINGTON — Supporters of campaign-finance legislation launched an effort to force the issue onto the House floor yesterday, starting a petition drive designed to overcome resistance by the Republican leadership.
Rep. Jim Turner, D-Texas, filed the necessary paperwork, although lawmakers said it was likely to be today before fellow Democrats trooped to the well of the House to sign their names. It would take 218 signatures to force the issue to the floor.
Democrats hold 210 seats in the House, against 222 for Republicans, two independents and one vacancy. While up to 90% of Democrats are expected to sign the legislative petition, supporters will need the backing of roughly two dozen Republicans to prevail.
Turner acted a little more than two weeks after legislation to curtail the role of big money in politics was pulled from the House floor. The derailment occurred when the House rejected GOP ground rules for debate that the measure's supporters had attacked as unfair. The vote was 228-203, and 19 Republicans broke ranks at the time.
The legislation, backed by Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Marty Meehan, D-Mass., would implement the most sweeping overhaul of campaign-finance laws since the Watergate reforms of a more than a quarter-century ago.
The centerpiece of the bill is a near-total ban on soft money, the unlimited contributions that unions, corporations and individuals make to political parties. The two parties raised roughly $500 million in such funds in the last campaign cycle, and spent much of it on television commercials that are often scathing, but stop just shy of advocating the election or defeat of a candidate.
In addition, the measure would ban certain types of political broadcast advertising in the 60 days before an election, a provision that would apply to many special-interest groups. The bill is patterned closely after Senate-passed legislation crafted by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
President Bush has signaled he would sign the bill, despite frequent overtures from Republicans to veto it.
The proposal introduced in the House provides for a debate on three alternatives, including one reserved for the Republican leadership and one crafted by Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, and supported by members of the GOP leadership. It would limit soft money but not ban it.
The third alternative is the legislation backed by Shays and Meehan. Under the petition, the alternative that gains the most votes would be open for amendment and then advanced to final passage.
It is unusual for dissidents to succeed in forcing legislation to the floor. But in 1998 and again in 1999, supporters of campaign-finance legislation drew close enough to the 218 signatures they needed that the GOP leadership relented and scheduled a vote on the bill.
Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., indicated little interest in bringing the measure to a vote in the wake of last month's events. Asked July 29 on NBC's "Meet The Press" whether he would like to see another vote, he said, "I think that if that ... petition comes up, we'll have another vote."
Update
Enron collapse may boost campaign-reform effort
Campaign-finance supporters say concern over failed company's extensive political contributions may help revive long-stalled bill.
01.16.02
Previous
Campaign-finance bill stalls in House
Democrats, Republicans blame one another after failing to agree on terms of debate.
07.13.01
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