"Would we be struggling this week to figure out how to put together a health-care bill?"
"I think, number one, 73 percent of Americans feel that Members of Congress are unnecessarily influenced by special interests and their campaign contributions."
"Seventy-three percent of Americans believe that campaign contributions from the banking industry have played a major factor in the recent financial crisis."
"Again, as you look at this both in terms of the amount of money that you would be able to raise in a primary and then as the amount of money that you would be able to raise in a general election, ther..."
"These are bills--and I know that the committee is aware of this--that other thoughtful Members like John Tierney and Dave Obey have introduced legislation."
"What it seeks to do, I think, is end the corrosive part of this process and then provide an opportunity to put the public back in charge."
"It is to create an opportunity for a person in a district that maybe doesn't have the contacts..."
"I think the panelists behind us, the architects of the concept in the bill, will be better able to explain..."
"What I meant by that was the entire approach ends up being corrosive. What is it corroding? It is corroding the democracy."
"The Fair Elections Now Act is voluntary and would provide qualified House candidates grants, matching funds, and vouchers."
"I do not understand why putting restrictions on the other side makes much sense."
"I do not understand that contradiction."