Restoring Election Integrity

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia for this opportunity to speak on the floor today. He is new to the Congress, but he has already made an outsized impact during the course of his 13 months of service in this august body taking on corruption. I am deeply grateful to him for his efforts in that regard, not just with respect to overturning Citizens United, but tackling the corruption that has become so pervasive here in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, I stand on the floor of the people's House to deliver what I believe to be an urgent message: The time to confront political corruption and clean up government is now.

Sixteen years ago to this very day, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. As you know, Mr. Speaker, that decision overturned longstanding precedent and limits on political spending by special interests.

The decision created a dark money system, where money speaks louder than everyday Americans. It has shifted power and influence away from everyday Americans, from the folks in our communities that we are privileged to serve, to instead these shadowy special interests that flood television screens every evening.

In my view, Citizens United undermined what it means to be a country of the people, by the people, for the people, and, above all, accountable to the people. Unfortunately, for far too long, this Chamber has failed to do what needs to be done to renew the faith of the American people in our democracy. We cannot accept that. We have to do something about it.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, I introduced legislation in the form of a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would revoke Citizens United. It would ensure transparency through our campaign finance reform and prevent unrestrained spending and dark money in our elections. Put bluntly, it would put the power back in the hands of the American people.

I thank my Democratic colleagues, 73 of them, who have already cosponsored this legislation, who are joining us tonight to be part of this effort, this clarion call, supporting the restoration of integrity and transparency to Washington.

Together, I honestly believe, with enough reformers, we can change the Congress. We can ban stock trading by Members of Congress. We can end dark money in our politics. We can overturn Citizens United. We just have to have the political will to do it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for having that will and all of my colleagues who joined us on the floor this evening.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source