Carper: Campaign Finance Reform is ‘A Work in Progress’

WASHINGTON, DC – In casting his vote for McCain-Feingold, Senator Tom Carper said that the journey to real reform is still “under construction.” “The road to sane campaign financing will be under construction until we come to an agreement on public financing,” Carper said. “Passing McCain-Feingold is real progress. But campaign finance reform is still a work in progress. Congress will have to revisit campaign finance reform from time to time to address new loopholes that will no doubt be discovered.” “Will this bill serve to make future campaigns as pure as the driven snow? No. But if this measure meets constitutional muster, it will go a long way towards correcting some of the most troubling practices that have emerged in the past decade,” Carper said. “The explosion of soft money in campaigns and the emergence of issue ads paid for by independent groups contribute to making federal campaigns too long and too expensive. They serve to undermine public confidence in our government and those who serve in it. McCain-Feingold helps to solve that problem. Our vote today must not be the last note sounded in the chorus for campaign finance reform.”