Special Interests in Elections

Floor Speech

Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, we need a government by the people and for the people, not a government run by the special interests and for the corporations. But how do we get there?

First, we remove barriers to voting. From overcoming hurdles to absentee voting and difficulty with registration, to long lines at the polls, more can be done to make sure that our elections work for all voters.

We should take a good long look at the thoughtful recommendations of the President's bipartisan election commission, which listened to voters and to election officials and bundled together the best ideas.

Second, we can't let the big money interests choose our leaders. We need public campaign financing, like the bill recently introduced by my colleague, Representative Sarbanes of Maryland.

In a post-Citizens United world, the voices of special interests will be much louder than those of average Americans, unless we act now and bring back government run by the people and for the people.

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