A Win For Campaign Reform

After two weeks of intense debate, the Senate on Monday passed the most sweeping reform of the nation's campaign finance laws in a quarter century.

The legislation offered by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is intended to close legal loopholes that critics say have flooded the political system with unregulated cash.

The 59-41 vote sends the measure to the House, where Republicans vow a tough fight. A court challenge has also been promised if the measure becomes law, with opponents charging the bill would devastate U.S. political parties.

President Bush, who has opposed the key provisions of the McCain-Feingold package, has softened his position recently, saying he would sign any bill that "improves the system."

Feingold said the legislation will "put a lasting mark on the record of democracy."

Not everyone was pleased with the Monday's outcome.

"The bill is fatally unconstitutional" said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. who fought to the end against a bill he has long opposed as an infringement on free speech. In addition, he said, "The underlying theory is that there is too much money in politics, in spite of the fact that last year Americans spent more on potato chips than they did on politics."

Monday's vote was the culmination of years of effort by McCain and Fenigold, who were turned back in the Senate four times in the last five years before finally breaking through. McCain made the issue the centerpiece of his GOP presidential run last year.

The legislation would ban so-called "soft money," typically five- and six-figure contributions to political parties by unions, corporations and individuals. Republicans and Democrats combined took in nearly $500 million in such funds over the last two years.

In addition, the bill would raise limits on contributions that candidates and political parties may use for direct campaign expenses, the first increases since legislation was enacted in the wake of the Watergate scandal of the 1970s. The existing $1,000 limit on donations to candidates would rise to $2,000 per election, and an individual would be permitted to give $75,000 to all candidates and parties combined over a two-year election cycle, up from $25,000. Those liits would be adjusted for inflation in the future.

It also would ban certain types of broadcast advertising close to an election.

The final hurdle to passage fell on Thursday, when the Senate rejected a potentially crippling amendment that would have voided all three key elements of the bill if the courts struck down any one of them as unconstitutional.

With passage in the Senate, the focus has shifted to the House, where some powerful forces are preparing for a showdown.

Expectations for passage are high because the House approved campaign finance reform legislation in previous years only to see those bills die in the Senate. But U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, a Texas Republican and Republican whip, has promised to aggressively oppose the Senate bill.

Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican and a fund-raising leader in Congress for the Republicans, said it would be a mistake to underestimate DeLay, but that derailing campaign finance would be tough.

"It's a bad bill, it needs a lot of work," Davis said of the McCain-Feingold measure. "I am more of an optimist than Tom (DeLay). Maybe we can make this a better bill."

Others, including Rep. Martin T. Meehan, D-Mass., said they believe House Speaker Dennis Hastert "will do the right thing" by scheduling debate on the issue as soon as possible.

Another question on Capitol Hill is whether McCain would be appointed to a conference committee by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who introduced a competing campaign finance bill that failed, told CNN that McCain does not represent "the interests of the Republican conference."

The Senate's top Democrat, Tom Daschle of South Dakota, said, though, he would use one of his party's slots to appoint McCain.

"John McCain deserves to be in the room when the final details are decided," Daschle told CBS' Face the Nation. If Senator Lott isn't prepared to do it, I will."

No date has been set for House consideration of the issue, but supporters have said they hope for a vote later this spring.

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