Jim Ramstad: “Mr. Chairman, I rise as a cosponsor and strong supporter of the bipartisan Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill.…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise as a cosponsor and strong supporter of the bipartisan Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill. The American people want us to be honest and fair, to play by the rules. That is why we need to eliminate soft money, which is clearly the biggest cancer on our political system, a cancer that has undermined people's trust in the system and many elected officials. Soft money is not honest. It is obviously a way to circumvent campaign contribution limits. Soft money raises at least the perception of undue influence on elections and candidates. It is time to ban soft money and erase the suspicion that Washington is for sale to the highest bidder. Also, Mr. Chairman, the so-called issue advocacy ads in many cases are nothing more than a sham, and we all know it. They are a way to avoid accountability and a way to avoid contribution limits. In short, they do not play by the rules, either. Let us do the right thing today for the American people. Let us restore trust and accountability in our political process. I urge my colleagues to resist the poison pill amendments and pass the clean Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill.”