For the People Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this amendment.

Madam Speaker, there isn't enough time to talk about all of the crazy things in this bill, so I am going to focus on the one provision I think takes the cake and something that should have been put in this bill.

The bill before us today, which I am calling the politician enrichment act, will force American taxpayers to fund partisan political ads.

You heard that right, Mr. and Mrs. America. All those negative, mudslinging campaign ads you see on TV every election cycle--the ones you can't stand--well, now you have to pay for them, too. In fact, you get to chip in $6 of your money for every $1 the politicians raise.

How is that for the swamp taking care of its own?

But, wait, there is more:

This new taxpayer-funded gravy train will expand a loophole in campaign finance law that is already big enough to drive a fully-loaded Brinks truck through.

Madam Speaker, thanks to a generous carve-out in Federal law, Members of Congress are able to funnel campaign contributions into their personal bank accounts by simply hiring their spouses as campaign consultants.

In fact, one high profile Member of the body--this body--exploited this loophole to the tune of $2.8 million in the last election cycle.

You think it is bad now, Joe and Jane Taxpayer? Just wait until you see how bad it gets when you are paying for it.

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Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, I filed an amendment with the Committee on Rules to close this loophole, one based on a bipartisan proposal introduced by Mr. Schiff and supported by Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Clyburn, and Speaker Pelosi in the 110th Congress. But the Committee on Rules chose not to allow us to vote on that amendment today.

I wonder why?

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