This is not about free speech, and the American people know it.

It is a broken system based on a flawed premise that spending money on elections is the same thing as free speech.

The American people deserve to know who is spending all this money to influence their vote.

The unfortunate thing about the Citizens United ruling, in my opinion, is that we have now... reached the point with that ruling that corporate treasuries are now in play in terms of campaign finance.

The Supreme Court laid the groundwork for this broken system in 1976 with Buckley v. Valeo.

I believe one important step is to have a functioning FEC where all six seats are filled with Commissioners in terms that have not expired.

I do not think we can truly fix this broken system until we undo that false premise.

Thank you both very much, and we look forward to you sorting out this dysfunctional FEC.

Comprehensive campaign finance reform is crucial to our democracy, but at the very least, we need to make sure that the FEC is enforcing the laws that are on the books.

I really appreciate your statement that we are going to have a vote this year on a constitutional amendment. I think it is about time.

Campaign finance reform historically has been a bipartisan issue. I hope it will be again.

No. The program which has been in place a very long time has expired. We have run out of money. These counties need to be able to plan for their projects. So that is where we are.

That is exactly my perspective. In these counties, the programs run out. The counties have planned on this money because they have been getting it year after year, and we have to find a way to do this. I wish to applaud Chairwoman…

I wish to tell the Senator how much all of the Senators on this issue appreciate the chairwoman's hard work. I think we need to stay focused. What happens with these counties is they wish to know early on whether the money is coming and…

Mr. President, let me first thank Senator Shelby and Senator Mikulski for their very hard work on this Omnibus appropriations bill. That is what I am down here to speak on. The American people sent us to make choices, sometimes very tough…

The Senator is absolutely correct. In some of our counties, 70 percent of the land in the county is Federal Government land. So what happens, as the chair pointed out, is the Federal Government says because that cannot be developed and it…

Mr. President, last month the flags of the Navajo Nation flew at half mast, in honor of Wilfred E. Billey. Mr. Billey was one of the legendary Navajo Code Talkers. He died at the age of 90 on December 12. His passing is an occasion to…

I would, if confirmed, want to consult with both the Commissioner and with the President to make sure that all of the important issues are taken into account before a decision is made on extending that mandate.