Senate to Debate Campaign Reform

Legislation to limit campaign spending moves to the Senate floor today, after a decision by Republican opponents to the bill to remove one legislative hurdle.

“I appreciate at least this progress,” Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) said after opponents agreed Thursday to dispense with a planned vote on whether to proceed to the bill.

A final vote on the measure, which would bring about the most significant changes in a quarter of a century in how campaigns are financed, could come as early as Wednesday. Passage would send the bill to President Bush, who has indicated he would sign it.

The legislation originally passed the Senate in April on a 59-41 vote; it was approved by the House last month in a slightly altered version. The Senate must vote on the House version.

The bill bans the hundreds of millions of dollars that corporations, unions and individuals give to the national political parties in unregulated “soft money.” It also restricts in the final days before an election the “issue ads” that often indirectly attack candidates. It raises the limit of regulated “hard money” that goes directly to campaigns and candidates.

Opponents, who say the restrictions on contributions violate 1st Amendment free speech rights, acknowledge that they are in the minority. But under Senate rules it can take 60 votes to move a bill to the Senate floor and 60 votes to close off debate so a bill can move to a final vote.

Several senators who voted against the bill last year have said they would not stand in the way of a final vote. “I am not overconfident, but I am confident” of securing the needed 60 votes, said Sen. Russell D. Feingold (D-Wis.), chief sponsor of the legislation, with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).