David Price: “colleagues know that ``outrage'' is not a word I use with great frequency, but I can think of few words that better…”

“colleagues know that ``outrage'' is not a word I use with great frequency, but I can think of few words that better describe the insult to this House and to our constituents represented by the procedure the leadership has chosen for debating reform of our election laws. I have been involved in this debate for the many months of the 105th Congress. I have cosponsored the Shays-Meehan proposal for campaign finance reform. I have authored my own stand-by-your-ad bill, which would require candidates and groups to assume responsibility for the ads they air. Last week I asked the Rules Committee to make this bipartisan proposal, sponsored by Representative Horn, myself, and 12 other colleagues, in order on the floor. To have this and all other amendments barred, to have a motion to recommit barred, to have any substantive discussion of this issue barred by this procedure is an outrage that should be rejected by this House. We have a responsibility to our democracy to end the abuses of our present campaign system. The Republican leadership has promised Members a vote on campaign reform in this session of the 105th Congress, and the charade we witness on the floor tonight represents a mockery of that promise. I, for one, am willing to postpone our recess schedule. Let us do that. Let us stay here and devote the time necessary to complete our job. I have signed the discharge petition to bring a real reform debate to the floor.”