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Campaign finance reform will be taken up by the House of Representatives just after returning from the Fourth of July recess, sometime during the week of July 9. The League of Women Voters warns that now is the critical time for concerned citizens to mobilize to get Congress to pass no bill other than the ”real reform bill,” the Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform Bill.  

This is the strong, bipartisan bill previously pushed through the House twice and based on the McCain-Feingold bill that the Senate passed in April. It will stop corporations, unions, and wealthy individuals from giving unlimited amounts of money to candidates’ campaigns and the political parties. 

The League of Women Voters urges you, yes YOU, to act! We need a landslide of public support from members of all parties and independents for the Shays-Meehan bill. Here’s what you can do. Write, call, fax, or e-mail your Representative in Congress — both in Washington and at here in California. 

The message is: 

•You support the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill because it will ban soft money and close the sham “issue” ad loophole that allows campaign spending to escape from disclosure; 

•You oppose all weakening amendments and especially ”poison pills” designed to kill the bill or weaken bi-partisan support; 

•You want the voices of citizens to be heard in politics over special interest money and only Shays-Meehan will do this. 

(Address your letters to: Representative, U.S. Congress, Washington, D.C., 20515. Call the Capital switchboard with a direct message or to get an e-mail address: 202-224-3121 or your representative’s local district office.) 

This is a tough battle that needs every citizen's involvement, regardless of party affiliation. Although the House leadership has agreed that campaign finance reform legislation will be scheduled for floor action right after the Fourth, they will be pushing the Committee on House Administration bill. 

This bill falls short of the definition of meaningful campaign finance reform and doesn’t ban soft money or limit money for sham ”issue” ads. The champions of reform in the House, Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) and Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA), will offer their bill on the floor as a substitute to the committee bill. You need to make your Representative understand the importance to you that s/he support only Shays-Meehan. 

Background on the process clarifies why only Shays-Meehan will do. If Shays-Meehan, based on McCain-Feingold, passes, it will go directly to the Senate for final passage and we will know exactly what the provisions are. 

It would bypass a conference committee, controlled by opponents in the House leadership and necessary to resolve the differences between some other House bill and the Senate’s McCain-Feingold. The opportunity to pass meaningful campaign finance reform legislation will not have been squandered. 

President Bush says he will sign campaign finance reform into law if Congress passes it. We need to give him that opportunity with Shays-Meehan/McCain-Feingold. Contact your Representative today! 

Jo Ann B. Price is the president of the Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville League of Women Voters