PRESS RELEASE
October 21, 1996

BOB DOLE: BLOCKING CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
1985-1996

"[Dole] is the individual in Congress most responsible for blocking any serious campaign finance reform in the past decade." -- Fred Wertheimer, former president of Common Cause, Washington Post, Oct. 21, 1996

104TH CONGRESS, 1995-1996: DOLE DELAYED MCCAIN PROPOSAL
Dole delayed consideration of the bipartisan campaign finance reform bill proposed by Sens. McCain and Feingold. As then-Majority Leader, Dole did not bring the bill to the Senate floor -- despite the urging of its sponsors -- and resigned from the Senate before the body voted against ending a Republican filibuster on the bill. In 1995, Dole even tried to kill an amendment by Sen. Feingold that put the Senate on record as favoring consideration of campaign finance legislation before the end of the 104th Congress. [New York Times, 6/26/96; Washington Post, 4/28/96, 7/21/95; CQ Almanac, 1995, vote 313, pg. S-52]

103RD CONGRESS, 1993-1994: DOLE HELPED KILL REFORM BILL
Dole twice voted against ending the Republican-led filibuster that killed campaign finance reform legislation in 1994. Dole also voted three times against ending a filibuster on Senate passage of the bill in 1993. In fact, Dole threatened to filibuster the Democratic reform bill before it was even unveiled. [CQ Almanac, 1994, vote 309, pg. 53-S; vote 314, pg. 55-S; CQ Almanac, 1993, pg. 39, votes 146, 147, 154, pg. 20-S, 21-S; New York Times, 4/25/93]

102ND CONGRESS, 1992: DOLE VOTED AGAINST REFORM BILL
Dole voted against the 1992 campaign finance reform bill that passed Congress but was vetoed by President Bush. Dole also voted against an override of President Bush’s veto, which failed on a 57-42 vote on May 13, 1992. The bill would have restricted PAC contributions, restricted "soft money" raised and spent by state parties in federal elections, and provided incentives to candidates to agree to voluntary spending limits. [1992 CQ Almanac, vote 82, pg. 12-S, pg. 63; vote 88, pg. 12-S]

101ST CONGRESS, 1990: DOLE HELPED KILL RECOMMENDATIONS OF COMMISSION
In the 101st Congress, Democrat and Republican leaders agreed to appoint a bipartisan commission to offer suggestions on campaign finance reform. Dole, as Senate Minority Leader, appointed half of the members on the six-person commission. Dole was regarded as "pivotal" to the two parties coming to any compromise on campaign finance reform. Yet just months after the bipartisan panel offered their recommendations, Dole and other Republicans offered legislation that completely ignored the recommendations. Dole then voted against Senate passage of campaign finance reform legislation, which never cleared House-Senate conference committee. [CQ Almanac, 1990, vote 204, pg. 43-S; Washington Post, 4/22/90; American Prospect, Summer 1990]

100TH CONGRESS, 1987: DOLE CAST SEVEN VOTES AGAINST ENDING FILIBUSTER
Dole and Republican Senators filibustered a sweeping campaign finance reform bill which included overall spending caps and some public financing of campaigns and capped the amount of PAC contributions candidates could accept. Dole voted against a record seven cloture motions on the bill between June and September. All seven cloture votes failed. [CQ Almanac, 1987, pg. 33-36; votes 148, 150-153, 239, 242, pgs. 28-S, 29-S, 30-S, 43-S, 44-S; American Prospect, Summer 1995]

99TH CONGRESS: 1985-1986: DOLE BLOCKED REFORM BILL
In his first term as Senate Majority Leader, Dole worked against campaign finance reform. In December, 1985, Dole put off a final vote on a campaign finance reform bill, citing "procedural objections" to the bill, and promised to bring it to the floor the following year. In 1986, Dole "appeared in no hurry to bring the matter to the floor." When the measure finally did reach the floor, Dole voted against the key amendment which would have limited PAC contributions to House and Senate campaigns. The amendment was adopted, 69-30. After the amendment was adopted, the bill became mired in partisan disagreement and was never enacted. [American Prospect, Summer 1995; Washington Post, 12/3/95; CQ Almanac, 1986, pg. 42; vote 209, pg. 37-S]