Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
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By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. GRAHAM):
S. 2434. A bill to limit the amount of time Senators spend on non-legislative activities; to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, the Senate has been working away at a lobbying reform bill, which is a good start at curbing the influence of special interests, but that alone is not enough. Everyone knows the root of the problem is money. Money is the oil that runs the engine of a viable campaign for office.
Every single one of my colleagues and I are in a perpetual campaign. Whether you were born a multi-millionaire or come from more humble origins, you are chasing money. Senators are elected or reelected on a Tuesday, sleep in on Wednesday and by Thursday they are back on the phone, dialing supporters for contributions to fuel the next campaign.
I do not believe Senators should have to operate this way. I believe the people send Senators to the Capitol to resolve their and the Nation's problems; I don't believe they send us to the United States Senate to spend all our time calling donors for support.
Senators are here to do the people's business, and that's why Senator GRAHAM and I are introducing the first bipartisan bill that would let Senators focus on what the voters of our States sent us here to do. This would be the first serious step toward shutting the door on the 6-year stockpiling of campaign contributions. Our bill would amend the Senate rules to prohibit incumbent Senators from raising money until 18 months prior to their re-election. An exception to this ban would be triggered if an opposing candidate or group targeted a Senator with more than $100,000 in paid advertisements. Such a targeted campaign would free an incumbent Senator from the prohibition on soliciting contributions. Likewise, the ban would not apply to contributions to retire campaign debt.
I have long admired the system used in many European countries for keeping campaigns focused on a short but intense period. That would require an amendment to the Constitution, an avenue that time and again has proved too difficult to navigate. Short of a Constitutional amendment I believe the new approach Senator GRAHAM and I are offering could prove viable.
Campaign finance reform is much like nuclear disarmament: everyone is for it but few are willing to take the first step unilaterally. I believe that those of us who are already here in the Senate bear the responsibility to take that first step.
Our proposal aims not just to treat the symptoms of scandal and corruption; it aims to cure the overall disease by going after the endless race for money in politics. Our bipartisan approach enjoys the support of a number of groups, including Common Cause, Democracy21, US PIRG and Public Citizen.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
S. 2434
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