{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398352", "PRESS RELEASE: Deutch Leads Fight Against Massive Erosion of Campaign Finance Limits Included in Omnibus Bill", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Ted Deutch", "D000610", "teddeutch.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-21), Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20), Donna Edwards (MD-4), Jim McGovern (MA-2), Jared Polis (CO-2), and John Sarbanes (MD-3) have submitted an amendment to the House Rules Committee striking language included in the Omnibus Appropriations bill that drastically increases how much money America\u2019s wealthiest donors can give to political party committees. If Division N, Section 101 of H.R. 83 were to become law, a single individual could donate over $777,000 a year or $1.5 million per federal election cycle to the three Democratic and Republican party committees, directly undermining the McCain-Feingold reforms passed by Congress in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.\u00a0\u201cIt is downright appalling that congressional negotiators, without public debate or even fair warning, tucked language into the Omnibus Appropriations bill that gives more influence to wealthy donors and special interests who have more than plenty already,\u201d said Congressman Deutch. \u201cAmericans overwhelmingly want their leaders to fight efforts to gut laws limiting the influence of big money in politics. They do not want Congress to be complicit in the dismantling of our campaign finance system.\u201d \u201cI find it unconscionable that House Republicans have sought to bury this incredibly damaging provision among a 1,600 page spending bill. \u00a0We must limit the power of wealthy political donors and special interests in our elections, not render ineffective laws that were rightfully enacted to place checks on their influence,\u201d said Congressman Alcee Hastings. \u00a0 \u201cAlmost $4 billion was spent on the 2014 midterms, making them the most expensive in our nation\u2019s history,\u201d said Congresswoman Donna Edwards. \u201cNow, under a deadline to keep the federal government open and at a time when our political system is already overwhelmed by outside money, we cannot allow even more access for the superrich at the expense of working families. I urge the Rules Committee and colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment and join the overwhelming majority of Americans who want their voices heard over the roar of big corporations and special interests. \u00a0We cannot allow outside money to dominate our elections, to do so would be both undemocratic and unfair to ordinary citizens.\u201d \u201cThe American political system is already drowning in special interest money,\u201d said Congressman McGovern. \u00a0\u201cThe last thing Congress should do is make the problem worse. \u00a0But that\u2019s exactly what this backroom deal would do. \u00a0It\u2019s outrageous.\u201d \u201cOur political system is already overwhelmed by money from special interests and the superrich, even with our current campaign contribution limits,\u201d said Rep. Polis. \u201cThere is no conceivable reason that we should be increasing contribution limits by 1000% when the voices of so many hard working Americans across the nation are already being \u00a0drowned out by mega-donors.\u201d \u201cIt is breathtakingly cynical to give even more power to the wealthy and well-connected on the heels of an election that ushered in a new, dangerous era of big money politics,\" said Congressman Sarbanes. \"Everyday Americans want Congress to listen to their concerns, not just big money donors and special interests.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://teddeutch.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398352"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0526750702410936, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}