***** Reformatted. Please distribute. CLINTON/GORE ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM American politics is held hostage by big money interests. Members of Congress now collect more than $2.5 million in campaign funds every week while Political Action Committees, industry lobbies, and cliques of $100,000 donors buy access to Congress and the White House. George Bush recently vetoed the 1992 Campaign Finance Reform Bill in order to protect the special interest that support him. American pay for this system in decreased environmental and worker safety regulations, increased health care costs, and weakened consumer regulations. Bill Clinton and Al Gore believe it's long past time to clean up Washington. As part of their plan to fight the cynicism that is gripping the American people, Bill Clinton and Al gore will support and sign strong campaign finance reform legislation to bring down the cost of campaigning and encourage real competition. We can't go four more years without a plan to take away power form the entrenched bureaucracies and special interests that dominate Washington. The Clinton/Gore Plan * Place voluntary spending caps on House and Senate Races, depending on a state's population. These caps will level the playing field and encourage challengers to enter the race. * Limit political action committee (PAC) contributions to the $1000 legal limit for individuals. * Reduce the cost to television air time to promote real discussion and turn TV into an instrument of education, not a weapon of political assassination. * Eliminate tax deductions for special interest lobbying expenses and the "lawyer' loophole," which allows lawyer-lobbyists to disguise lobbying activities on behalf of foreign governments and powerful corporations. * Require lobbyists who appear before Congressional committees to disclose the campaign contributions they've made to members of those committees. The public has a right to know when moneyed interests are trying influence elected officials in Washington. * End the unlimited "soft" money contributions that are funneled through national, state, and local parties to Presidential candidates. The Record * In the face of legislative resistance and powerful opposition form special interests, Governor Clinton spearheaded a successful citizen's initiative to adopt an Ethics and Lobbyist Disclosure Act which requires professional lobbyists to disclose the amount of money they spend to influence public officials, and public officials to disclose information about their income and financial holdings. * Senator Gore voted for the Senate Elections Ethics Act which establishes spending limits on Senate campaigns, prohibits Federal office holders and candidates from raising "soft money," eliminates "leadership PACs," and encourages cleaner campaigns.