D21 Applauds Introduction of Empower Act and Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act
Democracy 21 Applauds Introduction of Empower Act and Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act
Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer
Democracy 21 applauds Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Representative David Price and Representative Derek Kilmer for the critically important national leadership they are providing to repair our broken campaign finance system.
Democracy 21 commends Senators Van Hollen and Lujan and Representative Price for the reintroduction of the Empower Act, which would create a voluntary new, small donor, public matching funds system for presidential systems.
The original presidential public financing system, enacted in the wake of the Watergate scandals, served the nation well for seven presidential elections. Almost every major party candidate and every President used the system during this period.
Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne wrote in 2006 that “public financing of presidential campaigns, instituted in response to the Watergate scandals of the early 1970s, was that rare reform that accomplished exactly what it was supposed to achieve.”
The system eventually broke down in the 2000s when the costs of presidential campaigns dramatically increased and greatly outstripped the benefits that the system provided to participating candidates. Congress failed to update the system to take account of the changed circumstances.
The Empower Act will modernize the presidential financing system and restore its value to the American people as an alternative way for candidates to run for president without being indebted and obligated to big money funders.
The Empower Act is incorporated in H.R. 1, the For the People Act, and S. 1, its companion Senate measure. H.R. 1 is scheduled for House floor consideration next week.
Democracy 21 commends Senators Van Hollen and Lujan and Representative Kilmer for the reintroduction of the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act, which would repair the hopelessly ineffectual Federal Election Commission.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has used his power over Republican appointees to the six-member Commission for years to ensure that the oversight and enforcement agency has three Commissioners who consistently refuse to enforce the campaign finance laws or properly interpret them. As a result, for all practical purposes, we have had a nonfunctioning enforcement agency that leaves participants in elections free to ignore the campaign finance laws.
The Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act creates a Blue Ribbon Advisory Board to recommend to the President qualified candidates to nominate to serve on the FEC. The Act also strengthens the enforcement and oversight powers of the FEC.
The Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act is also incorporated into H.R. 1 and its Senate companion measure, S. 1.
These two bills have an essential role to play in repairing our campaign finance laws and substantially reducing the corrupting practices enabled by the current campaign finance system.
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