Americans for Campaign Reform (ACR), the Concord, NH-based advocate for public funding of all federal elections, has announced their support for recently introduced legislation to update and fix the presidential public funding system. Representatives Marty Meehan (D-MA), Christopher Shays (R-CT) and David Price (D-NC) introduced the legislation earlier this week.

Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) has also introduced companion legislation in the Senate to fix the system.

Other original sponsors of the legislation in the House include Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

According to John Rauh, ACR’s Founder and President, the legislation will make public funding a viable option for any presidential hopeful. According to Rauh, “The public funding levels included in this bill are sufficient for a publicly funded candidate to get his or her message out to the voters, and sufficient for a publicly funded candidate to run a competitive race against any candidate who opts to use unlimited private money.”

The recent announcement by Hillary Clinton to turn down public funding, and raise unlimited private funds for her presidential campaign, has focused attention on the outdated, and under-funded system currently in place. “A viable candidate has no choice but to turn down public funding and use private money if they hope to run a competitive race,” added Rauh. “And whenever a candidate seeks private money, the chance exists for special interests to take hold of the system.”

“It is vitally important that Congress fix this system as soon as possible,” said Rauh. “Every Republican and Democratic president elected since the 1976 election has used public funding. What’s more, every major party candidate they have run against has also used the public funding system. The system increases the field of candidates which gives voters more choice, eliminates much of the influence of special interest, and makes it possible for some to run who wouldn’t have the opportunity if they had to rely on personal wealth or access to big money.”

If passed, the legislation would take effect on January 1, 2009 and be effective for presidential elections following the 2008 election.

Former Senators Bill Bradley (D-NJ), Bob Kerrey (D-NB), Warren Rudman (R-NH), and Alan Simpson (R-WY) serve as Honorary Chairs of Americans for Campaign Reform.

(Comprehensive information about Americans for Campaign Reform can be found at www.just6dollars.org. Full text of the House bill can be found here, while the Senate bill can be found here.)