At Roundtable, Sarbanes Unveils Effort to Fight Big-Money Politics

NEW HAVEN, CT – During a Yale University roundtable with students, faculty and New Haven community members, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Ct.), highlighted how everyday citizens in Connecticut and across the country can fight back against wealthy and well-connected special interests with H.R. 20, the Government by the People Act.

H.R. 20 would return political speech and power back to the American people by establishing a small-donor campaign finance system that competes with today's big-money politics. The legislation would provide voters with a refundable $25 tax credit to support a candidate's campaign and would boost that donation with a six-to-one public match.

Taken together, the tax credit and matching fund would create an effective new campaign finance system built on the voices of everyday people. It would allow candidates without access to wealthy donors to compete in today's big-money-drenched environment. Importantly, H.R. 20 would free candidates from having to turn to wealthy and well-connected interests to run a competitive campaign, and in effect, Congress would better channel the will of the American people rather than the desires of special interests.

"Whether it's creating good jobs, education, health care or the environment, wealthy campaign donors and well-connected Washington insiders are blocking progress on the issues that everyday people in Connecticut and across the country care most about," said Congressman Sarbanes. "We need to break Congress' reliance on big-money donors so that we can return to a government by the people."

To learn more about H.R. 20, the Government By the People Act, visit: /bythepeople.