With a showdown over the 527 Reform Act (H.R. 513) set for tomorrow on the House floor, conservatives are uniting en masse in opposition to the bill. I just posted a letter from a center-right coalition signed by 28 well-known individuals and organizations, led by the Club for Growth’s Pat Toomey.
The Club for Growth’s blog, written by David Keating and Andy Roth, continues to do an outstanding job tracking the latest news on the bill.
Now, there’s even a logo critics of bill can post of their blogs and websites. (Hat tip to the Club for Growth, again, for coming up with the idea.)
We’re also featuring testimony delivered by Rep. Mike Pence (R.-Ind.) on Tuesday to the House Rules Committee. Pence makes the case for his Pence-Wynn 527 Fairness Act.
According to fellow blogger Tim Chapman at Townhall.com, Pence is going to offer his 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316) as a substitute for H.R. 513 tomorrow. If (and likely when) that fails, he’ll offer a perfecting amendment to “carve the national party committees out of the individual aggregate contribution limits,” as Pence explains in his testimony.
But should Pence’s amendment pass, he’ll be bound to support the entire bill. It would be a compromise, and I still don’t like it, but it would be better than H.R. 513 as it stands now.
UPDATE - April 5: After my long explanation of what would take place today regarding Rep. Mike Pence’s amendments, it turns out the whole plan was thwarted.
The House Rules Committee issued a closed rule on the 527 Reform Act (H.R. 513), meaning Pence won’t be able to offer his Pence-Wynn 527 Fairness Act (H.R. 1316) or perfecting amendments.
That’s very disappointing news. Voice your displeasure to House Rules Chairman David Dreier (R.-Calif.). His phone is (202) 225-2305, fax is (202) 225-7018. You can e-mail him using this form.
