Congressional Foreign Travel Cost Disclosure Act

Supported amending the Senate filibuster rules requiring supermajorities to end debate (specifically, Rule XXII and Rule V). Supported efforts to introduce campaign finance disclosure legislation to bring transparency to democratic processes by disclosing the identity of individuals, corporations, unions and other entities making political expenditures in support of or opposition to candidates, including the DISCLOSE Act (H.R. 148).Supported elements of the Fair Elections Now Act (H.R 269), providing for a voluntary system of financing Congressional elections using a mix of small private donations and federal funds. Supported elements of the Empower Citizens Act (H.R. 270), providing for a voluntary system of financing Congressional and presidential elections by matching small dollar donations with federal funds. Supported elements of the Grassroots Democracy Act (H.R. 268), providing for a voluntary system of financing Congressional elections using a mix of small private donations and federal funds and establishing a refundable tax credit to encourage grassroots campaign donations. Supported the Voter Empowerment Act (H.R. 12 and S. 123), which would advance reforms to ensure that eligible voters can register and cast ballots without undue burden, regardless of race, age, economic class or disability. In particular, Common Cause supports provisions which would install necessary protections to ensure that all ballots are counted as cast, and provide needed administrative responses to misleading deceptive election practiceds about the time, place or manner of voting. Urged the President of the United States to exercise executive authority to nominate to the Federal Election Commission and other agencies that deal with campaign activities individuals who are committeed to properly enforcing the nation's campaign finance laws. Supported the Foreign Travel Cost Disclosure Act (H.R. 1359) to require that the Secretary of Defense provide an estimate of the cost of the use of military aircraft to those involved in official travel and the House and Senate Committee on Armed Services. Supported the Corporate Politics Transparency Act, which would require publicly-traded corporations to disclose their political spending to shareholders. Urged the Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to enact new rules to govern eligiblity for section 501(c)(4) tax status that eliminate, or minimize through a bright line test, the ability of such groups to engage in campaign activity. Opposed legislation to prohibit the use of public funds for political party conventions (H.R. 94) and to terminate public financing of presidential election campaigns (H.R. 95) absent other reforms. Opposed the Election Assistance Commission Termination Act (H.R. 1994). Supported the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, S. 375, to require electronic filing of campaign finance disclosure reports by Senate candidates under federal campaign finance laws. Supported the significance of the Lifeline Program and bringing next-generation connectivity to schools and libraries via the ConnectED initiative, but not at the expense of defunding Lifeline.