Christopher Shays

I believe it is a positive step forward in ensuring contraceptive coverage is available to women in a majority of health plans.

It is my hope the Lowey amendment will help reduce unwanted pregnancies while providing women with contraceptive coverage.

I oppose the amendment offered by Congressman Chris Smith to allow health plans to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage by claiming a 'moral conviction.'

I support the provision in H.R. 2490 to require Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans (FEHBP) which provide prescription plans to include coverage of all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs and devices.

I would be happy to explain to my colleague, but we are going to have a disagreement because we think we have provided the money in 950, the gentleman does not, and time will tell.

I think in order to have a ban on soft money, we have to ban it not on just the Federal level but on the State level for Federal elections. And I think we cannot leave the current loophole of sham issue ads being allowed to continue when…

I would like to see provisions from H.R. 664 to require emergency locator transmitters, ELTs, on fixed wing civil aircraft included in H.R. 4057, the Airport Improvement Program Reauthorization Act. The bottom line is, an ELT plays a vital…

The government has an important role in funding the arts. Two years ago some of us thought we could combine two good principles; fund the arts, but do it by replacing the NEA with a block grant directly to the State arts commissions. We…

I just would say that I am very comfortable accepting this amendment. It is a sense of Congress. And I think it is very clear, and I agree with the comments of the gentleman, we need to clarify the law. The bottom line is that if we ban…

My point is that the administration and the DNC knew exactly who these people were, had known them for many, many long years, knew their contacts and I guarantee the gentleman, knew where this money came from, and walking into a Buddhist…

The gentleman may have some concerns. I have little concerns about whether corporate or union money can be declared unconstitutional when it is a campaign ad. That has already been determined. So the issue, to be fair to the gentleman, the…

The bottom line is, the gentleman needs to know it was illegal to solicit campaign funds. Soft money is not defined as a campaign fund. It is the reason why we need to change the law. I say it time and time again, and the gentleman does…

When the gentleman says shut the door, I wish the gentleman would clarify what he is saying. If it is, in fact, a campaign ad, it is true it comes under the campaign law. It means that people can raise money and advertise. They still have…

If it is not a campaign ad, there is no disclosure. You have to have it be a campaign ad in order to require disclosure.

I just want to speak on behalf of the Meehan-Shays supporters, that we do support this amendment. It is a right of American citizens today.

We accept the commission bill without any restraints. It is the gentleman's bill, as it is the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell). It could…

I just wanted to point out, before the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) leaves, that the first bill in the Contract With America, the congressional accountability bill which he advocated and supported and took pleasure in signing, had a…

I urge support for the Meehan-Shays substitute. We hope to pass this bill to ban soft money, to recognize the sham issue ads that truly campaign ads, to codify the 'Beck' decision to improve FEC disclosure enforcement, to deal with the…

The bottom line to our investigation is that we want our troops properly diagnosed, effectively treated, and fairly compensated, and to this point, we do not feel that this has happened.

Shakedown is when leaders from both parties will call up a corporation president, and say we would like $100,000 or $200,000 or $300,000 or a half a million, and make it very clear to those leaders that they can expect no action on their…

What I said to this Chamber was that the campaign finance laws in 1974 were designed to cut the unlimited sums that in particular the CREEP organization of the Nixon administration raised and to stop the shakedown of businesses that took…

Then, Mr. Leader, how can that be a fair and open debate if we have not allowed people with differing views to present their bills and to make their arguments before this Chamber? How does that meet the requirement of my leadership, who I…

Mr. Leader, I asked a sincere question, and I would appreciate a sincere answer. And the question was: Was anyone in leadership on the other side of the aisle consulted before it was decided to bring out four Republican bills?

Were any Democrats consulted on whether there would be bills that they think deserve debate and discussion? Was anyone on the other side of the aisle considered before the leadership made the determination to come out with these bills?

I intend to, but I thank the gentleman, and I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am trying to understand that we began this session last year, we waited all year long for a debate on campaign finance reform, at the end of that year of our…