Jul 25, 2007 -- Reform Groups Urge Members to Oppose Pence Amendment to Prohibit Government Funds from Being Used to Enforce BCRA's "Electioneering Communications" Provisions

Enclosed for your information is a letter reform groups sent today to House members, urging Representatives to oppose an amendment that Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) may offer to the pending Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to prohibit funds in the bill from being used to enforce BCRA's ''electioneering communications'' provisions.

The reform groups include the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

July 25, 2007

Dear Representative,

Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) may offer an amendment to the pending Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to prohibit funds in the bill from being used to enforce the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) provisions dealing with ''electioneering communications.''

Our organizations strongly oppose this amendment which would prohibit the government from enforcing an existing law.

The organizations include the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG.

The ''electioneering communications'' provisions in BCRA were upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court on a facial basis in McConnell v. FEC, in 2003, when the Court concluded the law was not substantially overbroad. The recent decision in Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC did not overrule McConnell and did not strike down the ''electioneering communications'' provisions but rather said they were unconstitutional as applied to certain ads.

As a result, the ''electioneering communications'' provisions of BCRA remain the law of the land, as limited by the WRTL decision.

Our organizations strongly urge you to oppose the Pence amendment which would wrongly prohibit the government from enforcing an existing federal law.

Campaign Legal Center
Common Cause
Democracy 21
League of Women Voters
Public Citizen
U.S. PIRG