Like Causes?

Install the App
TRY NOW
Countable Is Officially Causes.com

house Bill H.R. 6433

Should Members of (& Candidates For) Congress be Prohibited From Fundraising When Congress is in Session?

Argument in favor

Members of Congress spend a significant amount of their time focusing on fundraising, rather than legislating, which has turned politics into more of a fundraising arms race rather than being focused on policymaking. It also makes elections increasingly expensive, giving fundraisers outsized power in politics.

Mancos's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
It is time to change how we “do” politics. The appearance is that votes are “purchased” and Congress no longer represents their constituents but instead the lobbyists and corporate donors. Get rid of gerrymandering and level the playing field. The only time my representative show up is for photo opportunities and fundraisers. If the current administration has done any good it’s been to show us it is time for substantive change.
Like (123)
Follow
Share
Mike's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
Politicians spend most of their time raising money by either calling and begging or begging in person and offering their soul to special interests. This is why almost every bill that is brought up today is written by special interest groups like ALEC. If they are banned from begging for money while in session, maybe they would actually read a bill or even write one themselves! I actually support public funding, no more “dark money”, PAC money or spending most of the day begging for cash. Public funding creates an equal playing field, no one gets more than their opponent and it encourages the politicians to go out door to door to meet the people they want to represent! Those who don’t want to work for the job won’t get it!
Like (47)
Follow
Share
Susan's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
We freaking pay them to work for us not raise money for themselves.
Like (38)
Follow
Share

Argument opposed

Members of Congress do not, on average, spend an unreasonable amount of time fundraising. Given the amount of time members have out of session, it’s also plausible that most members are able to fit their fundraising activities in around votes and Congressional responsibilities.

burrkitty's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
Overturning Citizens United and running elections from public funding instead of private funding would have a larger effect on getting corrupted money out of politics then restricting the timeline. All this bill does is increased the necessity of huge dark money donors. Not the goal. Also Sneaky Peat is TOTALLY WRONG about how much time a CongressCritter spends fundraising. It is 6-8 hours EVERY DAY. 85% of their time. They have party quotas to fill and everything. I agree that we need campaign-finance reform but this is not the path. By the way, money is NOT speech and corporations are NOT people.
Like (151)
Follow
Share
Katherine's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
Preventing Congress from fundraising during session will only encourage taking money from big money donors who are buying legislation. End Citizens United and use public funding.
Like (64)
Follow
Share
Elaine's Opinion
···
09/15/2018
This would help Republicans who have millionaires to donate, not average Americans who donate little amounts all year. Let’s have Federally funded campaigns, that would solve the problem this bill addresses in a better way. Get all donated money out of elections. Power to the people not corporate America.
Like (33)
Follow
Share

bill Progress

  • Not enacted
    The President has not signed this bill
  • The senate has not voted
  • The house has not voted
      house Committees
      Committee on Administration
    IntroducedJuly 18th, 2018

Bill Activity

  • action
    Introduced in House
  • referral
    Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

bill Progress

  • Not enacted
    The President has not signed this bill
  • The senate has not voted
  • The house has not voted
      house Committees
      Committee on Administration
    IntroducedJuly 18th, 2018
    Mancos's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    It is time to change how we “do” politics. The appearance is that votes are “purchased” and Congress no longer represents their constituents but instead the lobbyists and corporate donors. Get rid of gerrymandering and level the playing field. The only time my representative show up is for photo opportunities and fundraisers. If the current administration has done any good it’s been to show us it is time for substantive change.
    Like (123)
    Follow
    Share
    burrkitty's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Overturning Citizens United and running elections from public funding instead of private funding would have a larger effect on getting corrupted money out of politics then restricting the timeline. All this bill does is increased the necessity of huge dark money donors. Not the goal. Also Sneaky Peat is TOTALLY WRONG about how much time a CongressCritter spends fundraising. It is 6-8 hours EVERY DAY. 85% of their time. They have party quotas to fill and everything. I agree that we need campaign-finance reform but this is not the path. By the way, money is NOT speech and corporations are NOT people.
    Like (151)
    Follow
    Share
    Katherine's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Preventing Congress from fundraising during session will only encourage taking money from big money donors who are buying legislation. End Citizens United and use public funding.
    Like (64)
    Follow
    Share
    Mike's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Politicians spend most of their time raising money by either calling and begging or begging in person and offering their soul to special interests. This is why almost every bill that is brought up today is written by special interest groups like ALEC. If they are banned from begging for money while in session, maybe they would actually read a bill or even write one themselves! I actually support public funding, no more “dark money”, PAC money or spending most of the day begging for cash. Public funding creates an equal playing field, no one gets more than their opponent and it encourages the politicians to go out door to door to meet the people they want to represent! Those who don’t want to work for the job won’t get it!
    Like (47)
    Follow
    Share
    Susan's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    We freaking pay them to work for us not raise money for themselves.
    Like (38)
    Follow
    Share
    Elaine's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    This would help Republicans who have millionaires to donate, not average Americans who donate little amounts all year. Let’s have Federally funded campaigns, that would solve the problem this bill addresses in a better way. Get all donated money out of elections. Power to the people not corporate America.
    Like (33)
    Follow
    Share
    Sterling's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/16/2018
    29 weeks in session leaves 23 weeks to fundraise. That’s plenty of time. The current practices are conflicts of interests. US working people would get fired from our jobs if we took away productive hours from the corporation to do personal business. Elected officials are no different. When you’re in session you’re at work. Be productive. Leave personal business at home.
    Like (26)
    Follow
    Share
    Jeffrey's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Nice. Now pass Term Limits!
    Like (21)
    Follow
    Share
    John's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Yes, and overturn Citizens United!
    Like (20)
    Follow
    Share
    mkjohnnie's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    This bill seems like a good first step in reforming how we do political campaigns. Our campaigning system is way too big, taking up too much time and money. We need to change things so that the politicians who get elected are the best at their job, not the most charismatic or visible on the campaign trail.
    Like (15)
    Follow
    Share
    Abbi's Public Comment
    ···
    09/15/2018
    I think a better bill would be to overturn Citizens United. This bill seems well intended but I think it will have a downside of the seriously greedy taking more money from the seriously rich.
    Like (15)
    Follow
    Share
    KansasTamale's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    This will only push them to take BIG MONEY FROM CORPORATIONS OR GROUPS LIKE THE KOCHS. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS: 1 OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED 2 CREATE A LAW THAT DOES AWAY WITH THE REPUBLICAN SCOTUS RULING THAT ALLOWS CORPORATIONS TO BE THE SAME AS INDIVIDUALS- that makes the people less than since corporations have so much Money they can buy our Congress.
    Like (8)
    Follow
    Share
    Reason's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/16/2018
    Some time to campaign is allowable, but not the ridiculous amount spent today. Every office should have a fixed window of no more than 3 months, right before an election, where Congress can campaign. If you cannot get your point across, clearly, in that amount of time one should not be in office.
    Like (7)
    Follow
    Share
    I.Got.an.Idea...'s Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/16/2018
    Limit all forms of campaigning to 3 weeks for incumbents and 5 weeks for newbies. Once you are in, do your job ONLY, or get fired. If you were actually doing work for the American Citizens you represent, people would already know, because they would see progress in their hometowns and where their concerns are. You would not need more than 3 weeks to inform that you are running again and that you had many successes and delivered quality service to your constituents.
    Like (7)
    Follow
    Share
    Sue's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Take care of business you were elected to take care of.
    Like (7)
    Follow
    Share
    Jill's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Until there is comprehensive campaign finance reform, this will do little to take money out of politics. It is also unfair to non-member candidates who typically start at a disadvantage to an incumbent. Undoing Citizens United would be a far better remedy.
    Like (6)
    Follow
    Share
    SSyar's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    Overturn Citizens United and none of this would be nearly as much of an issue.
    Like (6)
    Follow
    Share
    Pamela 's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    You are in Washington to work for us. NOT to fund raise. Do that on your own time.
    Like (5)
    Follow
    Share
    Larry's Opinion Against
    ···
    09/15/2018
    What we really need to do is restrict Congressional power to what is is supposed to be, as written in the Constitution. If government power is reduced, the money and corruption would be reduced as well.
    Like (5)
    Follow
    Share
    Andrea's Opinion In Favor
    ···
    09/15/2018
    We should get corporate money out of elections completely. It's the way the Founding Fathers set things up when they started the country. Our so-called representatives are corrupted.
    Like (4)
    Follow
    Share
    MORE