Murkowski Statement on DISCLOSE Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after voting against proceeding to debate on the DISCLOSE Act. Introduced following the Supreme Court’s holding in the Citizens United case, the DISCLOSE Act would impose stringent rules on campaign advertising paid for by corporations, unions and other interest groups. The bill would also prohibit contributions to campaigns from overseas corporations that have received government assistance. Today’s Senate vote, a procedural motion to begin debate, failed 57-41.
“Today’s vote demonstrates that once again the priorities of the Senate majority are out of step with the concerns of the American people. With the national unemployment rate at 9.5 percent, and Alaska’s summer unemployment rate at one of the highest levels in a decade, my constituents want Congress to focus on creating jobs, controlling spending and reducing taxes. Instead, the Senate majority would prefer to spend the precious few days left before the Senate leaves for August on a highly partisan political campaign reform bill. Seven months have passed since the United States Supreme Court passed down the Citizens United case. Surely this is enough time for the Democratic Senate leadership to hold a series of comprehensive and deliberative hearings on the implications of the Court’s holding and pursue truly bipartisan legislation to address the most immediate concerns. The bill we were asked to consider today has no support from the Republican side of the aisle. It does nothing to address the fears of citizen activists who feel their First Amendment right to participate in the political process will be chilled.”
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