Janice Schakowsky: “I rise in support of H.R. 577, a bill to Require Disclosure of the funding sources for Presidential Libraries. I want to…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 577, a bill to Require Disclosure of the funding sources for Presidential Libraries. I want to congratulate and thank the author of this measure, the Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, the Chairman of the Government Efficiency Subcommittee, and our ranking member, the gentleman from California for his efforts to improve this legislation. The improvements that were made to this bill prior to floor consideration are due in large part to his efforts and he should be commended. While I rise in support of this measure today, I do not believe this bill goes far enough. I am disappointed that one of the amendments I offered in the Government Reform Committee and which was included in the Committee-passed bill, is not a part of the measure we are debating today. The provision would have made congressional foundations disclose funding sources as well. I offered that provision because I believe that members of Congress should be at least as accountable to the public as we expect the President to be. Congressional foundations and the members that run them should make public the sources of major funding they receive to prevent any accusations of undue influence on the legislative process. H.R. 577 requires the disclosure of the sources and amounts of donations made to foundations raising money to build and maintain presidential libraries.”