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7342768
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Statement by the President on Federal Election Commission [Ford Speech or Statement]
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1
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7342768
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contentType
document
title
Statement by the President on Federal Election Commission [Ford Speech or Statement]
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collections
White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7342768
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27
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1976-02-27
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2
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1976
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nara-archive
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e686316c7a164a89
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Digitized from Box 22 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 27, 1976
Office of the White House Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
One year ago the Federal Election Commission was set up because voters
across the country wanted a strong watchdog to ensure that we have clean
and honest elections.
Now, as a result of a Supreme Court decision and a delay in Congressional
action, the essential powers of that Commission are in jeopardy. Unless
Congress acts within the 20-day extension just granted by the Supreme
Court, the Commission will no longer be able to:
-- Enforce the campaign reform laws;
advise candidates on what those laws mean;
or certify candidates for Federal matching funds.
In short, the watchdog will have lost its teeth. We must not retreat from
our commitment to clean elections.
When the Supreme Court acted on this matter, it made it clear that the
Congress could remedy this problem by simply reconstituting the Commission.
I supported the court's view and asked that the Congress act swiftly to extend
the life of the Commission.
Instead, various interests -- both political and otherwise, both in and out
of the Congress -- have chosen this moment to advance a wide-range of
hastily considered changes in the campaign laws. Most of the bills now
being considered in the Congress would introduce great uncertainty into the
campaign process. With the 1976 elections only nine months away, I do not
believe this is a proper time to begin tampering with the campaign reform
laws, and I will veto any bill that will create confusion and will invite further
delay and litigation.
Certainly no one is fully satisfied with the campaign laws now in the books.
When the current political season is behind us, I ask the Congress to work
with me in conducting a thorough review and revision of those laws. But
right now, the most pressing task is to re-establish the Federal Election
Commission as quickly as possible. I urge the Congress to put aside its
debates and enact the bill that I have sent to the Congress to provide for
an immediate and simple extension of the Commission.
We must get on with the job of ensuring that the political process in 1976
will be just as fair and honest as we can make it.
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