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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mr. Palau who wrote (214898)	1/4/2002 11:50:17 PM
From: D.Austin	Respond to of 769670

GOVERNOR URGES CONGRESS TO VOTE ON FINANCE REFORM Friday, January 4, 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (St. Paul, MN) -- Governor Ventura sent a letter yesterday to four members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation urging them to sign the discharge petition to bring the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill to the House floor for a vote. The discharge petition needs four votes to bring the bill to a floor vote. The Shays-Meehan Bill would provide stricter regulations on "soft" money and issue ads. The House passed this legislation in 1998 and 1999, but it was blocked both times by a Senate filibuster. In 2001, the Senate passed its version (the McCain-Feingold Bill), but the House didn't take it up. In the letter to U.S. Representatives Gil Gutknecht, Mark Kennedy, Martin Sabo and Collin Peterson, Governor Ventura encouraged them to take an up or down vote on this critical piece of campaign finance reform legislation and not avoid taking a tough vote on the issue. He stated that, "to let this bill die without taking a vote will only add to voters' cynicism of our political institutions," referring to the political gamesmanship that occurs when legislation passes one legislative body just to have it conveniently killed by the other body through inaction or procedural maneuvers. This same scenario played out in the Minnesota Legislature last session when the Senate passed the Governor's campaign finance bill, but the House didn't move the bill out of committee, effectively shelving the reform measure without ever taking a vote. "This is about holding our elected officials accountable," said Governor Ventura. "We elect people to take the tough votes, not to hide behind procedural maneuvers and bicameral deniability." The Governor hopes that the four remaining members of the Minnesota delegation will support the discharge petition and allow a floor vote on this important reform. View a copy of the document. (size: 140K) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Useful links: Press Releases: commoncause.org