HORSE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PARTY. NO, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS
           BILL HAS NOW BEEN SHOWN IN BOTH HOUSES TO BE A BIPARTISAN
           SOLUTION TO A BIPARTISAN PROBLEM. THE HOUSE VOTE WAS THE
           CULMINATION OF LITERALLY MONTHS OF DEBATE ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE
           REFORM. THE DEBATE ACTUALLY STARTED, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS ON
           MAY 21 AND DID NOT CONCLUDE UNTIL AUGUST 6. THERE WERE 72
           AMENDMENTS OFFERED TO THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE SHAYS-MEEHAN

           BILL. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 41 ROLL CALL VOTES ON THOSE
           AMENDMENTS. THE HOUSE SPENT OVER 50 HOURS DEBATING CAMPAIGN
           FINANCE REFORM, AN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IS ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED
           TO SPEND ON ONE BILL OVER THERE. I THINK WE DO IT FAIRLY
           FREQUENTLY HERE, BUT ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HOUSE. THE
           OPPONENTS OF REFORM TRIED TO TAKE A PAGE FROM THE SENATE
           PLAYBOOK AND OPENLY PROCLAIM THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO
           KILL THE BILL WITH AMENDMENTS. JUST LIKE HERE, THEY OFFERED

           POISON PILLS AND THEY TRIED TO OVERWHELM THE REFORMERS WITH
           JUST THE SHEER NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS. THEY TRIED TO DROWN THEM
           IN AMENDMENTS, BUT THEY FAILED, AND THEY FAILED MISERABLY. IN
           THE END, A REFORM BILL EMERGED AND PASSED THE HOUSE THAT
           RETAINED ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD
           BILL. YES, A BAN ON SOFT MONEY, AN IMPROVED DISCLOSURE OF
           CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, CODIFICATION OF THE SUPREME COURT BECK
           DECISION AND PROVISIONS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH CAMPAIGN
           ADVERTISING THAT IS DRESSED UP AS ISSUE ADVERTISING. AND SO,

           AFTER MANY MONTHS OF DEBATE IN THE HOUSE, THE BILL HAS COME
           BACK TO THE SENATE. IT'S NOW ON THE CALENDAR AND IS AWAITING
           ACTION. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, OUR LEADER OBJECTED TO BRINGING UP
           THE HOUSE-PASSED VERSION OF MCCAIN-FEINGOLD, BUT FORTUNATELY,
           THAT WAS NOT THE END OF THE MATTER. BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RIGHT
           AS SENATORS TO OFFER AMENDMENTS TO PENDING LEGISLATION, WE WERE
           ABLE TO BRING IT UP TO THIS BILL, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT
           SENATOR MCCAIN AND I HAVE DONE. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED IF
           THE MAJORITY LEADER HAD AGREED TO BRING UP THE HOUSE-PASSED

           VERSION OF THE BILL. SOME COMMENTS THAT HE MADE ON "MEET THE
           PRESS" THIS WEEKEND SUGGESTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO JUST
           THAT. BUT BY OFFERING OUR AMENDMENT, WE WILL HOPEFULLY ASSURE
           THAT THE SENATE WILL AGAIN VOTE ON THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS WHAT
           THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WANT. ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THAT
           I AM VERY PROUD OF THE SOLID 100% SUPPORT OF THE DEMOCRATIC
           SENATORS FOR THIS BILL. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE EFFORTS OF SENATOR
           DASCHLE TO KEEP THIS ISSUE ON THE AGENDA AND LINE UP OUR CAUCUS
           IN SUPPORT OF THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD BILL. BUT WE ARE NOT DOING

           THIS FOR PARTISAN REASONS. WE ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT IS THE
           RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR COUNTRY. THIS CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM
           IS SAPPING THE CONFIDENCE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THEIR
           GOVERNMENT. PEOPLE HAVE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THESE
           HUGE SOFT MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS DO INFLUENCE THE CONGRESSIONAL
           AGENDA. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT ACT IN THE INTEREST OF
           AVERAGE PEOPLE IF WE ARE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO WOO

           THE BIG CONTRIBUTORS. THEY KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY SOFT MONEY MUST
           BE ELIMINATED BEFORE IT JUST TOTALLY SWAMPS OUR ELECTIONS AND
           OUR LEGISLATURE. MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT
           WE FINISH THE JOB NOW, THAT WE FINISH THE JOB NOW BEFORE THE
           END OF THIS CONGRESS. OTHERWISE WE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SEE AN
           EXPLOSION OF SOFT MONEY FUND-RAISING AS THE PARTIES GET READY
           FOR THE NEXT BIG SHOW, AND THAT IS THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL

           ELECTION IN THE YEAR 2000. IF WE GO HOME AND ALLOW THIS SOFT
           MONEY SYSTEM TO CONTINUE INTO THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
           CYCLE, WE WILL REAP SCANDALS THAT WILL MAKE THE SCANDALS OF
           1996 LOOK PALE BY COMPARISON. LOOK AT THIS CYCLE ALREADY, TO
           GIVE YOU A CLUE AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. ALREADY IN THIS
           CYCLE, ACCORDING TO "COMMON CAUSE," THE PARTIES HAVE RAISED A
           TOTAL OF $116 MILLION -- AND THAT'S THE MOST EVER IN A

           NONPRESIDENTIAL CYCLE. SOFT MONEY FUND-RAISING MORE THAN
           TRIPLED FROM 1992 TO 1996 1996, FROM AN ALREADY TROUBLING
           AMOUNT OF $86 MILLION TO THE NOW-STAGGERING AMOUNT OF $262
           MILLION IN SOFT MONEY. BASED ON THAT GROWTH, SOME ESTIMATE THAT
           THE PARTIES COULD RAISE $600 MILLION IN SOFT MONEY IN THE YEAR
           2000 CYCLE -- $600 MILLION, OVER HALF A BALANCE DOLLARS IN SOFT

           MONEY -- OVER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN SOFT MONEY IS LIKELY TO
           BE THE CONSEQUENCE AND THE DISGUSTING DISPLAY IN THE YEAR 2000.
           MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE A MAJORITY IN THIS BODY. WITH JUST EIGHT
           MORE VOTES IN THE SENATE, WE CAN STOP THIS ESCALATION OF SOFT
           MONEY. WE CAN SAY TO THE POLITICAL PARTIES, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
           GO BACK TO RAISING MONEY UNDER THE LIMITS ESTABLISHED IN THE
           DERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACT. AND THEN IF SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL,

           WE NEED MORE MONEY, THEN START RAISING MONEY FROM MOTHER
           PEOPLE. GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED. DON'T JUST EXTORT MORD AND
           MORE MONEY FROM THE LABOR CORPORATIONS AND LABOR UNIONS THAT
           ARE EAGER TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT.
           MR. PRESIDENT, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE SICK OF TALES OF
           BIG-MONEY FUND-RAISERS. IT IS A TERRIBLE TURN-OFF FOR A CITIZEN
           OF AVERAGE MEANS TO READ THAT PEOPLE GIVE $100,000 OR $250,000
           TO SIT AT THE HEAD TABLE WITH THE PRESIDENT OR HAVE A SPECIAL

           MEETING WITH THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE U.S. STPHALT. THEY
           DON'T WANT MORE STORIES LIKE THE STORY OF ROGER TAMRAZ, WHO
           GAVE $300,000 TO THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE, HOPING FOR
           THE SPECIAL ACCESS HE NEEDED TO PROMOTE HIS PIPELINE PROJECT.
           TAMRAZ TOLD THE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THAT, AS HE
           THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE NEXT TIME HE WOULD GIVE $600,000 IF HE
           THOUGHT THIS WOULD HELP HIS BUSINESS AND THAT GETTING SPECIAL
           ACCESS WASN'T JUST ONE OF THE REASONS HE GAVE TO THE D.N.C. HE

           SAID IT WAS THE ONLY REASON HE GAVE THE $300,000 AND WOULD GIVE
           $600,000 FOR SPECIAL ACCESS. BUT THESE KIND OF SCANDALS ARE
           BOUND TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL
           PARTIES, MR. PRESIDENT, ARE ADDICTED TO SOFT MONEY. THEY CAN'T
           GET ENOUGH OF IT, AND THE REASON IS THAT THEY HAVE FOUND A WAY
           TO MAKE SOFT MONEY WORK DIRECTLY FOR THEM IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
           THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE TWISTING OF A LOOPHOLE THAT WAS

           ESTABLISHED BY THE F.C.C. IN 1978. REMEMBER THAT PRIOR TO 1996,
           MOST OF THE PARTIES' SOFT MONEY WENT INTO WHAT WAS CALLED
           PARTY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. GET OUT THE VOTE DRIVES, VOTER
           REGISTRATION EFFORTS AND THE LIKE. BUT THEN IN 1996, THE
           PARTIES DISCOVERED THE ISSUE AD AND IT WAS OFF TO THE RACES.
           BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS DIRECTLY BENEFITED FROM THESE KINDS

           F -- THESE KINDS OF ADS. THEY NONETHELESS OBVIOUSLY AIMED AT
           DIRECTLY INFLUENCING AN ELECTION, OBVIOUSLY, INTENTIONALLY
           INTENDED TO CAUSE SOMEONE TO VOTE SPECIFICALLY FOR ONE
           CANDIDATE OR ANOTHER AND THEY USE PARTY SOFT MONEY TO PAY FOR
           THE ADS. NOW HERE'S AN IRONY, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST YESTERDAY
           ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO ANNOUNCED YET ANOTHER 90-DAY INQUIRY INTO
           THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE SCANDALS OF THE 1996 CAMPAIGN. IT HAS TO
           DO WITH ISSUE ADS RUN BY THE D.N.C., A PORTION OF WHICH WERE

           PAID FOR WITH SOFT MONEY. THE ALLEGATION IS THAT IT WAS
           IMPROPER FOR THE PRESIDENT TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE
           DEVELOPMENT OF THAT AD CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN. THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD
           AMENDMENT THAT IS BEFORE US MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT SUCH ADS
           CANNOT BE PAID FOR WITH SOFT MONEY AND CANNOT BE COORDINATED BY
           THE PARTIES WITH THEIR CANDIDATES. YET SOME OF THE VERY PEOPLE
           WHO ARE CALLING ON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO APPOINT THIS
           INDEPENDENT COUNSEL ARE STAUNCHLY OPPOSED TO THIS AMENDMENT

           ANYWAY. WE ALSO HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE PARTIES AND OUTSIDE
           GROUPS PREPARING TO EXPLOIT THE PHONY ISSUE AD LOOPHOLE IN THIS
           ELECTION. OVER THE NEXT MONTH, MORE AND MORE ELECTION ADS WILL
           BEGIN APPEARING AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT BECAUSE AT HAVE
           LOOPHOLE, IN MANY CASES THERE WILL BE BE NO DISCLOSURE OF THE
           SPENDING ITSELF OR OF THE IDENTITY OF THE DONORS WHO ARE REALLY
           BEHIND THE ADS. THESE ISSUE AD CAMPAIGNS, MR. PRESIDENT, ARE
           BLATANTLY TARGETED AT SPECIFIC ELECTIONS BUT, AGAIN, THEIR
           CREATORS INTENTIONALLY AVOID THE ELECTION LAWS BY AVOIDING THE

           SO-CALLED MAGIC WORDS OF "VOTE FOR" OR "VOTE AGAINST." HERE'S
           AN EXAMPLE. THE CAPITOL HILL NEWSPAPER "ROLL CALL" REPORTED IN
           JULY THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS PLANNING A $37 MILLION ISSUE
           ADVOCY CAMPAIGN TO BEGIN RUNNING AFTER LABOR DAY DESIGNED TO
           HELP REPUBLICANS PICK UP SEATS IN THE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER. "ROLL
           CALL" SCRTIBITDE THE
           
           CAMPAIGN AS FOLLOWS: "REPUBLICAN LEADERS ARE CALLING THE PLAN

           'OPERATION BREAKOUT,' A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO BLANKET 50-60
           
           DISTRICTS WITH ISSUE ADD VO KAS -- ADVOCACY ADS. THEY ARE VERY
           UP FRONT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS ISSUE AD CAMPAIGN IS DESIGNED
           SPECIFICALLY TO HELP ELECT MORE REPUBLICANS TO THE HOUSE, NOT
           JUST TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES. SO HERE YOU HAVE THE LEADERS OF A
           NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTY DESIGNING A HUGE MEDIA PLAN
           SPECIFICALLY TO ELECT CANDIDATES FROM THAT PARTY AND
           SPECIFICALLY PLANNING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PHONY ISSUE AD
           LOOPHOLE SO THEY CAN AT LEAST PARTIALLY PAY FOR THE CAMPAIGN

           WITH SOFT MONEY. THIS IS WHAT THE TWIN LOOPHOLE -- SOFT MONEY
           AND PHONY ISSUE ADS -- HAVE LET US TO. AND OF COURSE, .
           PRESIDENT, NEITHER PARTY IS EXEMPT. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY
           MAINTAINED A BIPARTISAN APPROACH TO THIS ISSUE IN MY WORK WITH
           THE SENIOR SENATOR FROM ARIZONA AND WITH MY OTHER WORK ON THIS
           ISSUE. I WILL DO SO TODAY. A DEMOCRATIC SOURCE IS QUOTED AS
           SAYING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS BUDGETING $6 MILLION FOR
           ISSUE ADS AND POSSIBLY A LOT MORE. AND OF COURSE THE REPUBLICAN

           PARTY JUSTIFIES ITS PLAN AS A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST THE
           LABOR UNIONS THAT SPEND ABOUT $25 MILLION ON ISSUE ADS IN THE
           1996 ELECTIONS. MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
           ENTIRE "ROLL CALL" STORY BE PLACED IN THE RECORD AT THIS POINT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. FEINGOLD: THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS ARMS RACE OF SOFT
           MONEY SPENDING ON ISSUE ADS HAS GOT TO STOP AND THE WAY TO DO
           THAT IS TO BAN SOFT MONEY AND BRING THESE TYPES OF ADS WITHIN
           THE ELECTION LAWS IN A FAIR AND RESPONSIBLE WAY THAT -- IN A
           FAIR AND REASONABLE WAY THAT RESPECTS THE RIGHTS OF ALL
           CITIZENS. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD BILL,
           CONTRARY TO THE COMPLETELY INACCURATE AND SOMETIMES DISHONEST
           ADVERTISEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RUN AROUND -- RUN ACROSS THE
           COUNTRY SAYING THAT WE USE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. WE IN FACT

           MAINTAIN A CLEAR RESPECT FOR FREE SPEECH, WHICH BOTH SENATOR
           MCCAIN AND I STRONGLY ADHERE TO. WE HAVE ADDRESSED IN OUR BILL,
           WHICH IS IN THE FORM OF THE AMENDMENT BEFORE US TODAY, THE TWO
           BIGGEST PROBLEMS IN OUR CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM -- SOFT MONEY
           AND PHONY ISSUE ADS. MR. PRESIDENT, IF WE DON'T ACT ON THIS
           BILL, THE EXPLOITATION OF THE LOOPHOLES WILL CONTINUE TO SPIRAL
           OUT OF CONTROL. IN THE YEAR 2000, WE WILL SEE BOTH PRESIDENTIAL
           CANDIDATES PROMISING TO LIMIT THEIR PRIVATE FUND-RAISING IN

           ORDER TO RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDS WHILE THEIR PARTIES PURSUE
           PARALLEL OR EVEN INTERTWINED CAMPAIGNS WITH ISSUE ADS FUNDED BY
           AS MUCH AS $600 MILLION IN SOFT MONEY. NOW, IS THAT THE KIND OF
           CAMPAIGN WE WANT TO SEE IN THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF
           THE NEXT CENTURY?
           I DON'T THINK SO. WE NEED TO MAKE THE NEXT CAMPAIGN A CLEANER,
           LESS CORRUPT, LESS OUT OF CONTROL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. WE

           DON'T WANT MORE OF THE SAME OF WHAT WE SAW IN 1996. MR.
           PRESIDENT, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THE AMERICAN PREEM ARE
           TELLING US THAT THEY DO -- THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE TELLING US
           THAT THEY DO OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THE MCCAIN-FEINGOLD BILL.
           RECENT POLLS CONDUCTED IN EIGHT STATES DURING THE MONTH OF
           AUGUST BY THE MELMAN GROUP FOR THE ADVOCACY GROUP PUBLIC
           CAMPAIGN SHOWED THAT STRONG MAJORITIES RANGING FROM 58% IN
           MISSISSIPPI TO 75% IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE

           MCCAIN-FEINGOLD LL AND THIS SUPPORT IS CONSTANT -- IT IS
           CONSTANT, MR. PRESIDENT -- ACROSS DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS AND ACROSS
           PARTY LINES. IN FACT, IN SEVEN OF THE EIGHT STATES POLLED,
           BELIEVE IT OR NOT, REPUBLICAN VOTERS WERE MORE LIKELY TO
           SUPPORT THE BILL THAN DEMOCRAT VOTERS. EDITORIAL BORETE D
           BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY -- EDITORIAL BOARDS ACROSS THE
           COUNTRY ARE CONSTANTLY CALLING ON US TO ACT. AND IT'S NOT JUST
           "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND "THE NEW YORK TIMES," ALTHOUGH THEY

           HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL ADVOCATES FOR THIS MUCH-NEEDED CHANGE. IT
           IS ALSO "THE HARTFORD CURRENT" AND THE "KANSAS CITY STAR," AND
           HE TENNESSEAN." THE MESSAGE FROM EACH OF THESE BOARDS IS THAT
           THIS BODY -- THE SENATE -- HAS ONE LAST CHANCE TO SALVAGE SOME
           SEMBLANCE OF RESPECT ON THE ISSUE OF CAMPAIGNS FINANCE AFTER
           ALL THE INVESTIGATIONS, ALL THE ALLEGATIONS AND ALL THE
           FINGERPOINTING OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.
{END: 1998/09/09 TIME: 12-30 , Wed.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}