Mar 16, 2006 -- Statement from Reform Groups on H.R. 4900 and H.R. 1606

The following statement on H.R. 4900 and H.R. 1606 is from the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG:

March 16, 2006

While the House yesterday delayed consideration of H.R. 1606, legislation that would open huge soft money loopholes in the campaign finance laws, our organizations will continue to work hard to defeat this legislation.

Our organizations strongly support H.R.4900, the ''Internet Free Speech Protection Act of 2006,'' introduced by Representatives Tom Allen (D-ME) and Charles Bass (R-NH), and we will fight to pass this proposal in the House and in the Senate.

We believe H.R. 4900 will provide appropriate broad protections to the Internet community without opening gaping soft money loopholes in the campaign finance laws.

Our organizations also strongly oppose H.R. 1606 and we will similarly fight to defeat this legislation in the House and in the Senate.

We are committed to doing everything we can to prevent Congress from unraveling and undermining the nation's campaign finance laws.

We would like to give special recognition to those House Members who are providing outstanding leadership for the country in this battle.

We applaud Representatives Tom Allen (D-ME) and Charles Bass (R-NH) for their outstanding leadership in the House on behalf of protecting both Internet users and the nation's campaign finance laws.

We also greatly appreciate the strong bipartisan leadership provided in the House for the Allen-Bass bill by Representatives Chris Shays (R-CT) and Marty Meehan (D-MA), the principal House sponsors of the ban on soft money, and by Representatives Mike Castle (R-DE), David Price (D-NC) and Howard Berman (D-CA).

We also greatly appreciate the strong leadership exercised by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) with her House Democratic colleagues in support of Internet users and the campaign finance laws.

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