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_Public Citizen's_ Report: Congress Watch: Campaign Finance Reform

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    "Working nonstop, Public Citizen lobbyists prowled the halls of
    Congress, buttonholing senators, huddling with staff, and briefing
    reporters. A bill offered by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), along with
    Sen.  Joe Biden (D-DE) and Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ), called for
    public funding of Senate races and rapidly gained co-sponsors,
    receiving 38 votes on the Senate floor.
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                     C O N G R E S S   W A T C H
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Both voters and veteran observers of Congress realized in 1990 that
few members of the House and Senate any longer represented their
constituents, preferring instead to distance themselves from those who
elect them in favor of close ties with those who pay for their
campaigns. As a result, campaign finance reform absorbed the lion's
share of Congress Watch's efforts in 1990. Other issues that sparked
Congress Watch lobbyists, researchers, and organizers included the
out-of-control savings and loan fiasco (and the broader issue of white
collar crime), insurance, food safety, and product safety.

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Campaign finance reform.
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Spearheading a coalition of dozens of citizen groups, Public Citizen
in 1990 launched a district-by-district lobbying, organizing, and
public education drive to push for public funding of House and Senate
election campaigns. The centerpiece of the campaign was a television,
radio and newspaper advertising program, under the theme "We the
People for Public Funding." Appearing on national television, local
TV, and in newspapers in key Congressional districts, the ads helped
to prod Congress into considering campaign reform legislation.

Starting out as a long shot, by mid-debate the idea of replacing
special interest money with clean, public funds raised by a voluntary
income tax form check-off had moved to the center of the discussion.
Working nonstop, Public Citizen lobbyists prowled the halls of
Congress, buttonholing senators, huddling with staff, and briefing
reporters. A bill offered by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), along with Sen.
Joe Biden (D-DE) and Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ), called for public
funding of Senate races and rapidly gained co-sponsors, receiving 38
votes on the Senate floor.  Eventually, the Senate passed a bill that
included spending limits, a ban on PAC contributions to Senate
candidates, and some public funding.

In the House, Public Citizen lobbyists ran into a wall of resistance
from lawmakers seeking to preserve their access to PAC funds and
big-money donors. The House Democratic leadership's bill was denounced
by Public Citizen and other groups as "phony reform," and efforts by
Rep. Mike Synar (D-OK) and Rep. David Obey (D-WI) to strengthen the
reform bill went nowhere.

Campaign finance reform remains the center of the Congress Watch
agenda for the 102nd Congress in 1991-92.