Maurice Hinchey: “the principal issue still facing this Congress is the issue of campaign finance reform. Campaign finance reform is so…”

“the principal issue still facing this Congress is the issue of campaign finance reform. Campaign finance reform is so critically important because it influences so much else of what we do in this House and the other one, as well. In the summer of 1995, the Speaker of this House, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Newt Gingrich), shook hands in New Hampshire with President Clinton. He promised then that we would resolve the issue of campaign finance reform. Now it is almost 3 years later, and the issue has still not been resolved. Not only that, but we have not been assured that we will have a simple up-or-down vote on the principal bill that seeks to reform the way we finance campaigns, the Meehan- Shays bill. We need to bring that bill out to the floor. That bill needs to be fully debated. This House needs to have the opportunity to vote yes or no on Meehan-Shays. Let us have that vote as soon as possible, this week, next week, or the week after. Let us have that vote up-or-down on Meehan-Shays.”