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February Capitol Hill Watch Alert

House of Representatives to Vote on the
Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform Bill

On Wednesday, February 13, 2002, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill.
(H.R. 2356; To view the bill visit: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.02356:)
Similar to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill which passed in the Senate earlier last year, the Shays-Meehan bill would ban "soft money" contributions. Through its passage, Constitutionally-protected free speech would be violated because of the bills forbidance of issue advertising within 60 days of an election.

In addition, a compromise bill sponsored by Representative Bob Ney (Republican - Ohio) would also place limits on campaign contributions.
(H.R. 2360; To view the bill visit: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.02360: )
Although contributions would not be completed banned, the Ney bill would limit corporations, individuals and labor unions in the amount of their donations. The bill would restrict soft money donations to national parties to $75,000 annually but would impose no limits on state party donations. Political parties would also be stopped from using soft money to finance "issue ads" on television. However, voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote campaigns could be financed by soft money according to the Ney bill.

Although the Ney bill is less restrictive, it is still a compromise Americans cannot afford to make. The U.S. Constitution, in no way, restricts a citizen's choice to support the candidate or party of his choice.

For more information about Campaign Finance Reform, click here.

What Can You Do?

Urge your representative to vote against both campaign finance reform bills.

Contact Information:

Capitol Hill Switchboard Numbers: 202-225-3121 or 202-224-3121 (Those numbers will direct you to the Capitol Hill operator. Ask for your representative's office.)

To go to your representative's website, find his E-mail or to find out who your representatives are... http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html

To electronically mail your U.S. House of Representative, go to http://www.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep.

Addressing Correspondence:

The Honorable (full name)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative (last name):

To view a sample letter to a congressman, go to http://www.americanvoiceinstitute.org/Shays-MeehanLetter.htm

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