Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to testify regarding the issues of campaign finance and money in .
The committee hearing will focus on a proposed constitutional amendment limiting campaign spending by outside groups.
A statement from the committee said the hearing will mark the first time ever that the Senate Majority and Minority leaders will testify before the Judiciary Committee to speak on a policy matter.
The amendment proposed by Sens. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Michael Bennet, D-Col., gives Congress the authority to regulate and limit the raising and spending of money for federal political campaigns.
The proposed amendment was introduced shortly after the Supreme Court struck down limits on the total amount of money individuals can contribute to all candidates, parties and political action committees.
The 5 to 4 ruling by the court's conservative justices argued that the aggregate limits infringe on the donor's First Amendment rights.
The recent decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission came after the controversial Citizens United decision in 2010 eliminated the limits on independent spending by corporations and labor unions, contributing to the rise of the 'Super PAC.'
Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said, 'The Court has repeatedly used the First Amendment - not to protect the voices of all Americans, but as an instrument to amplify the voices of billionaires and corporations.'
'Those voices are not the only ones who the Founding Fathers intended the First Amendment to protect,' he added. 'They meant for the First Amendment to protect the voices of all Americans.'
Reid has expressed support for the amendment and said last month that the Senate will vote on the legislation after it is reported out of the Judiciary Committee.
While the amendment is widely expected to clear the Democratic-controlled committee, it is likely to fall well short of the two-thirds majority needed in the full Senate due to Republican opposition.
McConnell issued a statement on Monday arguing that the proposed amendment would repeal the free speech protections contained in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
'The First Amendment is about empowering the people, not the government,' McConnell said. 'The proposed amendment has it exactly backwards.'
He added, 'It says that Congress and the states can pass whatever law they want abridging political speech-the speech that is at the very core of the First Amendment.'
McConnell claimed the proposed amendment is part of continuing Democratic efforts to shut down the voices of anyone who has a different point of view.
by RTT Staff Writer
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News
FREE Newsletters & Alerts
Entities 0 Name: Senate Count: 4 1 Name: Judiciary Committee Count: 3 2 Name: McConnell Count: 3 3 Name: Congress Count: 2 4 Name: Senate Majority and Minority Count: 1 5 Name: McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission Count: 1 6 Name: D-N.M. Count: 1 7 Name: Mitch McConnell Count: 1 8 Name: Harry Reid Count: 1 9 Name: Supreme Court Count: 1 10 Name: R-Ky. Count: 1 11 Name: Senate Judiciary Committee Count: 1 12 Name: Reid Count: 1 13 Name: Patrick Leahy Count: 1 14 Name: Tom Udall Count: 1 15 Name: Citizens United Count: 1 16 Name: D-Nev. Count: 1 17 Name: Michael Bennet Count: 1 18 Name: D-Vt. Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1jLTq6N Title: Harry Reid Attacks Koch Brothers and Your Free Speech Description: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has promised the Senate will take up a proposed constitutional amendment this year that would radically alter the First Amendment. The Senate resolution would allow Congress to limit fundraising and spending on election campaigns and independent political speech.
