"Save Our Democracy" Gains Momentum

Press Release

Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-8) announced today that House Judiciary Chairman John J. Conyers (D-Mich.) became the first co-sponsor of the Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433). The bill applies antitrust laws to industry political action committees (PACs). The bill has been referred to Chairman Conyers' Judiciary Committee for action.

Congressman Grayson said, "I am thrilled that Chairman Conyers agrees with me that something must be done to save our democracy. He exercises Congressional oversight of the Judicial Branch. We are all appalled by the Supreme Court's reckless decision."

In a 5-to-4 ruling yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that corporations have the "right" to spend an unlimited amount of money to influence and manipulate federal elections.

"I am looking into any and all avenues to alleviate the harm to the American people that the Supreme Court has done with yesterday's decision. I appreciate Mr. Grayson's efforts to respond to the Court's decision and am pleased to be working with him in finding the best means of protecting our political process from undue corporate influence," said Chairman Conyers.

The Ending Corporate Collusion Act is one of six bills in Rep. Grayson's "Save Our Democracy" Reform Package. Here is a list of the bills, and what they aim to accomplish:

1) The Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act (H.R. 4431): Implements a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns.
2) The Public Company Responsibility Act (H.R. 4435): Prevents companies making political contributions and expenditures from trading their stock on national exchanges.
3) The End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434): Prevents for-profit corporations that receive money from the government from making political contributions, and limits the amount that employees of those companies can contribute.
4) The Corporate Propaganda Sunshine Act (H.R. 4432): Requires publicly-traded companies to disclose in SEC filings money used for the purpose of influencing public opinion, rather than promoting their products and services.
5) The Ending Corporate Collusion Act (H.R. 4433): Applies antitrust law to industry political action committees.
6) End the Hijacking of Shareholder Funds Act (H.R. 4487): This bill requires the approval of a majority of a public company's shareholders for any expenditure by that company to influence public opinion on matters not related to the company's products or services.

Source