THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, September 5, 1995             TAG: 9508310020
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

SPEAK UP TO CLEAN UP CONGRESS

Congressmen Linda Smith (R-Wash.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) have drafted HR-2072 (The Clean Congress Act of 1995 - sent separately), which dramatically reduces the capability of special interests to ``buy'' congressional favoritism. The proposal would:

1. Prohibit acceptance of gifts, trips or meals from lobbyists or special-interest groups.

2. Prohibit fund-raising activities in the District of Columbia.

3. Prohibit contributions from anyone other than residents of the office-seeker's state and from political committees of political parties.

4. Prohibit use of franked mass mailings 90 days prior to an election.

5. Reduce the capability of the wealthy to buy an election by requiring that any personal funds contributed to one's campaign may not be reimbursed after the election. This prevents the wealthy from putting money up front, then getting it back from post-election contributions (from PACs and other special-interest groups, for instance). Once money is ``given,'' it is gone forever.

This is a very important bill that has been languishing in committee since July 19. Speaker Gingrich has indicated his willingness to bring the bill to a vote, but it lies behind many other bills vying for attention. The speaker has indicated that if citizens express an interest in getting the bill to the floor post-haste, it will be assigned a different priority.

The existence of this act deserves the broadest possible media attention and editorial urging for citizens to bipartisanly demand its passage. Citizens should write or call the speaker's office and let him know this bill should be passed immediately. And write one's own representative to (a) urge him to vote for the bill, (b) challenge him to become a co-sponsor of the bill, no matter what his party and (c) demand an accounting. Request a response as to his intentions. Should he not intend to support the bill, ask, "Why not?"

VERNON R. BUSH

Chesapeake, Aug. 23, 1995 by CNB