On the recordSeptember 23, 2010
the Senate once again has an opportunity to defend the public's confidence in our democratic system. In July, we missed this opportunity by failing to approve a motion to proceed to the DISCLOSE Act, a vital step in preserving the transparency and integrity of our elections. I urge my colleagues not to repeat that mistake. We should take up, debate, and pass the DISCLOSE Act. Nearly a year ago, the Supreme Court discarded decades of precedent and concern for the health of our democracy when it decided on a 5-4 vote to eliminate regulations on corporate expenditures on elections. I strongly disagreed with that decision, but it is now the law of the land, and we are left with the task of trying to preserve the ability of individual Americans to be heard in a political process that could be swamped by a flood of corporate money. The DISCLOSE Act requires corporations, unions, or advocacy organizations to stand by their advertisements and inform their members about their election-related spending. It imposes transparency requirements, requires spending amounts to be posted online, and prevents government contractors, corporations controlled by foreigners, and corporate beneficiaries of TARP funds from spending money on elections. I am an original cosponsor of the act because I believe it is essential to protect public confidence in the integrity of our elections.
