Administration of Barack H. Obama, 2010

Statement on Congressional Action on Campaign Finance Legislation

May 20, 2010

Today the House Administration Committee took another important step toward putting in place critical protections to control the flood of special interest money into American elections. The DISCLOSE Act, now moving to debate on the floor of the House of Representatives, would establish the toughest ever disclosure requirements for election-related spending by big oil corporations, Wall Street, and other special interests. It would prohibit foreign entities from manipulating the outcome of U.S. elections, and it would shine an unprecedented light on corporate spending in political campaigns so that the American people can clearly see who is trying to influence campaigns for public office. These changes are particularly urgent in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, and I encourage the full Congress to give this strong, bipartisan legislation the swift consideration it deserves.

NOTE: The statement referred to H.R. 5175.

Categories: Statements by the President : Campaign finance legislation, House of Representatives action.

Subjects: Congress : Bipartisanship; Elections : Campaign finance laws.

DCPD Number: DCPD201000403.