Congressman Kurt Schrader introduced a constitutional amendment today limiting the amount of money special interests, corporations and unions may spend on elections.
“In this country access to money should not equal free speech,” said Schrader. “No special interest with access to unlimited financial resources should have the ability to use that wealth to determine the outcome of an election.”
Schrader's amendment comes in response to last year's controversial Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
By equating money with speech, the Supreme Court said those with vast financial resources have the right to drown out the voices of ordinary citizens. Schrader's amendment recognizes the authority of Congress and the states to regulate special interest spending.
Schrader first proposed the amendment last session shortly after the Court's decision.
