My Letter to Congress: H.R.1404 Fair Elections Now Act

I am writing as your constituent in the 16th Congressional district of Pennsylvania. I support H.R.1404 - Fair Elections Now Act, and am tracking it using OpenCongress.org, the free public resource website for government transparency and accountability.

Sincerely,
Pamela Hayden

Dear Pamela,

Thank you for contacting my office. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts about current issues. Please be assured that constituent correspondence will receive a reply in the near future.

Sincerely,

 

Pat Toomey

U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

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Dear Ms. Hayden:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the performance of Congress and the need for a clean, accountable government. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.

As a United States Senator, I take very seriously the responsibilities that come with my job as a public official. Sadly, all too often I hear from constituents across Pennsylvania who fear that Congress has lost sight of its mission, which is to represent the American people and solve the serious problems facing our Nation. They express concern about fiscal irresponsibility, lack of congressional oversight, partisanship, the influence of money in political campaigns and reports of corruption or conflicts of interest on the part of other members. I can assure you that I am vigilant in ensuring that my Senate office, which truly belongs to the people of Pennsylvania, is run transparently and without undue influence from special interests.

Frequently, I hear from constituents concerned about the health of the American economy and rising deficits. I share these concerns. Despite a balanced budget as recently as 2001, the budget deficit for the 2011 Fiscal Year was $1.5 trillion. Two wars, unpaid-for tax cuts for the rich and other policies have put us on a path that is unsustainable. Just as significant has been the recent recession, which further strains the federal budget while leaving millions unemployed. The Nation's fiscal health is of the utmost importance to me and I, too, am concerned about the escalating amount of debt incurred by our government, particularly over the last eight years. Moving forward, we must develop a policy that responsibly addresses both spending and paying down our accumulated debt.

While I support rooting out wasteful and ineffective spending, I believe funding should be preserved for programs that benefit Pennsylvania families. In recent years, the annual appropriations process has yielded funding for local law enforcement, key transportation and infrastructure projects, domestic violence prevention initiatives and job training programs in Pennsylvania. I have made it a point to provide the public with timely information on the programs I have supported in federal spending bills. Posted simultaneously to my website with the request I make to the Appropriations Committee each year are detailed lists of projects and programs that I am supporting. I encourage you to review these projects to learn more about the positive impact congressionally-directed projects can have on communities across the Commonwealth.

Some have raised concern about Senate protocol and rules. In recent years, this body?s rules have been systematically abused to block legislation and obstruct real debate. When the 112th Congress began, I supported a package of reforms to increase disclosure and discourage obstruction. I called for an end to the practice by which a Senator can place a secret hold on a bill or nomination to block action without even identifying him or herself. I also called for reform of the filibuster, a term that refers to any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or nomination by debating it at length or offering numerous procedural motions. If a Senator wants to filibuster, he or she should stay on the floor and debate to continue the filibuster. If they have nothing to say, the Senate should vote and move on.

On January 27, 2011, I joined 91 of my colleagues in voting to adopt S. Res. 28, a resolution to require any Senator to publicly disclose a notice of intent when objecting to a bill before the Senate. This rule effectively ends the practice of secret holds. The Senate rejected a series of proposals to reform the filibuster, including a resolution I cosponsored that would have prevented the filibuster from being used as a delaying tactic in every step of the legislative process. The Senate made some progress by adopting modified rules, but I was disappointed that there were not more substantial changes like the ones I supported. Regardless of the rules in place, the most important change must be in the tactics and temperament of Senators. It is my hope that partisan politics and gamesmanship can be put aside in favor of a legislative process that serves the people of Pennsylvania and the United States.

On January 21, 2010, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that overturns long-standing campaign finance laws and prohibits the government from banning political spending by corporations in candidate elections. According to the Court?s majority, restricting corporations from directly participating in elections violates the right to free speech guaranteed under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Although the full extent of the ruling?s impact is not yet known, this is a significant decision that many believe could reshape the political landscape by increasing the power of corporate special interests and the role of money in politics. Those with the deepest pockets, such as Wall Street, Big Oil and insurance companies, may have a greater influence in future elections. I strongly believe that our democracy hinges on fair and transparent elections, and I will continue to advocate for limiting the influence of corporate special interests in politics.

I have also been gratified to hear from my constituents regarding the need to put partisanship aside, and I wholeheartedly agree that the challenges facing our country leave little room for partisan squabbling. I have cosponsored important bills with Independent, Republican and Democratic Senators since Pennsylvanians elected me to the Senate, and I will continue to reach across the aisle to find legislative solutions to the problems facing our Nation and the Commonwealth.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. As your Senator, I highly value hearing what Pennsylvanians think about the actions of Congress as well as my own performance here in Washington. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about any matter of importance to you.

If you have access to the Internet, I encourage you to visit my web site, http://casey.senate.gov. I invite you to use this online office as a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator

December 8, 2011

Dear Pamela,

Thank you for contacting me about the Fair Elections Now Act (S. 750). I appreciate hearing from you.

As you may know, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced S. 750 on April 6, 2011. Among its provisions, this measure would provide federal funding for candidates for the U.S. Senate that meet certain criteria. Additionally, this legislation would modify the process used to purchase broadcast airtime for political advertising. I understand your views on campaign finance and value your input. S. 750 is currently pending before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for review. While I am not a member of this panel, please be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind as work continues on this issue.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

 

Pat Toomey

U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania