Americans for Campaign Reform (ACR), a nonpartisan organization, today announced that its national grassroots movement to press Congress for voluntary public funding of all federal elections has gained the support of four prominent former Senators, two Republicans and two Democrats, who will serve as Honorary Chairs.

The four former lawmakers – Sens. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), Warren Rudman (R-N.H.), and Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) – said that the time is right for public funding. Under ACR's proposal, Congress would have to spend only $6 per citizen per year to publicly fund each and every election for the House, the Senate and the White House.

The bipartisan group of former Senators issued strong endorsements of public funding:

"I believe the current private financing system for federal elections is fundamentally flawed," Bradley said. "It encourages corruption and alienates our citizens. The solution is public financing."

Kerrey added, "I have seen how the current system limits electoral competition and distorts the public agenda. It demoralizes incumbents and challengers alike while increasing public suspicion that money buys access."

"Clearly," Rudman said, "there is a strong case for lobbying reform, but it would be a mistake not to also address the problems with our current system for financing federal elections. I have come to believe that it will take a fundamental change, that public funding is now an imperative."

Simpson said, "Incumbents find it eternally necessary to raise big bucks for their next election nearly every single day. It was not only demeaning but it took a large chunk of time that could have been devoted to doing the public's business. The time is now to go to voluntary public funding."

John Rauh, ACR's founder and president, said ACR has launched a new Web site, www.just6dollars.org, to help mobilize citizens and put pressure on Congress for real reform. "Recent scandals reinforce the belief of many Americans that leaders waste precious time and energy catering to lobbyists, special interests and large donors to continuously raise money for the next campaign," Rauh said. "Lobbying reform alone isn't the solution. We must fix the most fundamental flaw in the way we pick our leaders."

According to calculations by ACR, all U.S. federal races – President, Senate and House – could be funded by our government for Just $6 per citizen per year, only a fraction of the taxpayer money wasted every year on projects that reward special interests and their lobbyists. "The great myth is that this is expensive. It is not," Rauh added. "When you consider that 'pork barrel' projects cost every one of us more than $200 last year alone, it's no contest."

"When the ability to finance a campaign isn't such a daunting obstacle, there's no doubt that more of our most able leaders would run for federal office," Rauh said. "And once in office, our leaders will spend their time and energy attending to the nation's business rather than financing their next campaign."

Public funding is already working in Arizona and Maine, and was recently passed by the Connecticut legislature. ACR's effort will build upon the interest shown across the nation, where states and cities have already enacted public funding for state elections.

ACR's Web site, www.just6dollars.org, contains a position paper and other material explaining the issue and ACR's grassroots movement.