Conresswoman Donna Edwards, with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, Representative John Conyers, has reintroduced a Constitutional amendment, HJ RES 78. The proposed amendment would reverse the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, allowing for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections.

Per Congresswoman Edwards, “Justice John Paul Stevens warned that the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizen’s United threatened ‘to undermine the integrity of elected institutions around the nation’ and how right he was,” said Congresswoman Edwards.  “Since that flawed ruling was issued, campaign spending by outside groups including corporations surged more than four-fold to reach nearly $300 million in the 2010 election cycle.  I am proud to join with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Conyers to reintroduce this constitutional amendment, which is the only way to once and for all put the American people, and not corporations, in charge of our treasured democracy.”

“Last year, the Supreme Court overturned decades of law and declared open season on our democracy,” Conyers said.  “It is individual voters who should determine the future of this nation, not corporate money.   I commend Rep. Edwards for her work in developing this narrowly crafted constitutional amendment that will undo the effects of this radical decision and I look forward to working with her to restore balance to our electoral process.”

We applaud Representatives Edwards and Conyers for the introduction of HJ RES 78.

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Photo: U.S. Congress / Public domain