Lynn N. Rivers: “I rise against this rule, and I raise my voice in support of a straight up or down vote on Shays-Meehan. The Supreme…”

“I rise against this rule, and I raise my voice in support of a straight up or down vote on Shays-Meehan. The Supreme Court of the United States has laid out very clearly for all of us the role that Congress can play in regulating elections in this country. They have told us that Congress can prohibit the use of corporate treasury funds and union dues money in Federal elections. They have told us that we may limit contributions to candidates, parties and political committees; that we may pass laws to combat actual corruption and the appearance of corruption in the operation of the Federal Government; that we can require disclosure of the source and size of certain kinds of spending and most contributions; and that we can regulate coordinated expenditures to thwart attempts to circumvent existing election law. That is what the Supreme Court has already said. Shays-Meehan does no more than what the Supreme Court has already endorsed, and it does no more than what is right. I urge Members to vote against this rule and support Shays-Meehan.”