Ellen Tauscher: “I have supported Shays-Meehan since being elected to Congress in 1996. I helped pass this bill twice. I hope today we…”

“I have supported Shays-Meehan since being elected to Congress in 1996. I helped pass this bill twice. I hope today we can get a clean bill so we can vote for it again. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Armey substitute so we can get a clean vote today on Shays-Meehan. Our democracy deserves honest campaigns and honest elections. Voters deserve to know the truth about who is working to affect election outcomes, including the people and interest groups bankrolling ads and campaigns. There is no reason parties need to collect large, unregulated amounts of money that can be used to directly influence elections. Campaign finance reform will help restore the public's faith in elected officials and the legislative process. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership will stop at nothing to kill this bill, only further distancing working families from their government. I hope supporters of reform in previous years will keep working with both parties and support real reform again this year and today when it really matters.”