Hill Bulletin.

Early this year, the LWVUS Board adopted the Democracy Agenda (see Out Front), a comprehensive, multi-year effort to strengthen and renew democracy, as its top program priority. In doing so, the Board also set the League's legislative priorities: election reform, campaign finance reform, civil liberties and nonpartisan redistricting. Legislation affecting clean air, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Social Security and DC voting rights are also on the LWVUS radar. Now, almost halfway through 2005, we alert you to the issues that require your immediate attention and action.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

In the 2004 elections, Federal Election Commission (FEC) negligence allowed unlimited contributions from corporations, unions and wealthy individuals to political groups that are tax-exempt under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. "527" groups are self-declared political organizations and should not be operating free from federal campaign finance laws that apply to candidates, political parties and others that participate in federal elections. Unless this loophole is closed, our nation will again face the corrupting influence of huge "soft money" contributions (see feature on "527s," p. 8). The bipartisan 527 Reform Act of 2005, S.271, will close the loophole for "527s."

What You Can Do:

Tell your Senators to support S.271 as introduced.

Both major candidates for U.S. President in 2004 opted out of the presidential public financing system for the first time since its establishment. The dollars raised and spent in 2004 broke previous records, showing that presidential public financing is in deep trouble and measures must be taken now for 2008. (See article on p. 9, The National Voter, June 2004.) The Presidential Funding Act is bipartisan legislation to save presidential public financing by promoting full participation in the system, reducing the role of special interest money, increasing the tax check-off and including an inflation adjustment for the future.

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators and Representative to support the Presidential Funding Act and save presidential public financing.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

With certain provisions of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 due to sunset late this year (see feature on p. 8, The National Voter, February 2005), Congress has been holding hearings on the reauthorization of the entire Act. In addition, legislation addressing some of the more problematic provisions of the Patriot Act has been reintroduced: The Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act of 2005, S. 737 and H.R. 1526. This bill seeks to limit "sneak and peek" warrants (secret warrants that allow the government to search homes and businesses) to specific instances, including preservation of life or physical safety, and to improve oversight of these searches. The legislation also requires evidence that a suspect is a spy or foreign agent before the government may search business records, such as library and bookstore records. The League believes that basic civil liberties must be preserved and protected as the nation seeks to guard against threats to national security. Under the SAFE Act, law enforcement officials would still have sufficient authority to combat terrorism. At the same time, innocent Americans would be protected from unrestricted government surveillance.

What You Can Do:

Contact your Senators and Representative and urge them to support S.737 and the companion House bill H.R. 1526.

The Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National (OPEN) Government Act of 2005, S. 394, sponsored by Senators John Cornyn (R TX) and Patrick Leahy (D VT), will expand the accessibility and accountability of the federal government by strengthening the Freedom of Information Act and making information more readily available to the public. This legislation establishes a presumption of openness in government. The League believes that governmental bodies must protect the citizen's right to know by making information and records accessible to the public.

What You Can Do:

Urge your Senators to support S.394.

ELECTION REFORM

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is currently developing guidelines for states on provisional ballots, statewide computerized voter registration databases and voting systems. The EAC's proposal on statewide databases is not effective. The League believes the EAC should develop new guidance that will: (1) ensure that voter registration intake agencies, including DMV, public assistance and disability agencies, are fully and electronically integrated in the statewide computerized system; (2) establish clear procedures for using information provided by other databases, such as DMV data, to supplement the information provided by voters, thereby helping to correct an application so it can be processed and accepted instead of rejected; (3) require states to establish clear lines of responsibility for adding, deleting and updating voter records; (4) provide security measures that prevent unauthorized access to the database and require tracking and documentation of all transactions, including by whom and when; and (5) set strong safeguards against erroneous purging that are clearly stated and uniformly applied.

What You Can Do:

Contact the EAC and your chief state elections official and urge them to follow items 1-5 above as they develop statewide computerized voter registration databases.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Congress is currently considering proposals that would privatize the Social Security system, one of the most successful social programs of the 20th century. The league believes that rushing into private accounts and diverting money from the Social Security trust fund is not a solution; instead of "saving" the Social Security system, it will hasten the insolvency of the fund and put the system at risk. Social Security is not merely a retirement program; it is a social insurance program that provides a safety net for our most vulnerable citizens. The disabled, survivors, senior citizens and nearly two-thirds of women 65 and over depend on it. Social Security's financing problems are manageable and can be addressed by reasonable adjustments over time (see Sounding Off, inside back cover).

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What You Can Do:

Contact your Senators and Representative and tell them to oppose attempts to privatize Social Security. Any changes should make it more solvent and more dependable, not less secure.

ENVIRONMENT

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the same dirty energy bill that was narrowly defeated last year, with additional provisions that are harmful to public health and the environment. This omnibus energy bill rolls back the Clean Air Act and opens the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling.

At press time, the U.S. Senate was expected to consider its energy bill before the summer. The Senate has an opportunity to pass a different energy bill with better policy. The Senate could prevent oil drilling in ANWR, curb global warming, and propose energy conservation measures that improve rather than worsen air quality.

For over 30 years, the Clean Air Act has greatly reduced air pollution levels by setting strong standards to significantly reduce pollution emissions from industrial sources. It has effectively improved public health and protected the environment; it needs to be enforced and strengthened, not relaxed. We must take steps to curb global warming and continue to improve air quality instead of increasing air pollution and global warming through huge new incentives for burning coal, oil and gas found in the bill passed by the House. The House bill also fails to provide energy conservation measures--key elements for any good energy policy. Further-more, the bill opens the geographically diverse, pristine, 19.3 million-acre home for numerous animal species in ANWR for speculative oil drilling. Harming this fragile public land for uncertain oil reserves is not sound energy policy.

What You Can Do:

Contact your Senators and urge them to pass responsible energy policy. Tell them to oppose any energy bill that fails to provide energy conservation measures and includes provisions to undermine existing environmental protections, make global warming worse, and harm ANWR.

To reach your Senators and Representatives, go to http://takeaction.lwv.org/

* Enter your zip code under "ELECTED OFFICIALS," select "Congress," and click on "GO."