The bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act (HR 1404) recently received its 100th House cosponsor.  More than one-fifth of the U.S. House of Representatives now supports Fair Elections, due in large part to the leadership of bill sponsor Rep. John Larson (D-Conn).  The Senate companion legislation (S. 750) championed by Sen. Dick Durbin has 16 cosponsors, and the Fair Elections bill will likely be discussed at a hearing tomorrow in a Senate Judiciary subcommittee.

The Fair Elections Now Act would empower small donors and enhance the voices of everyday Americans by creating a voluntary public matching system for congressional elections.  Participating candidates would opt to receive contributions of no more than $100. 

Rep. Larson had this to say on the milestone:

"Anyone who has turned on the TV lately can see the corrosive effect of essentially unlimited money being spent to buy our elections. That flood of money is in no small part responsible for the growing cynicism and despair Americans feel about our governmen. The Fair Elections Now Act is intended to let lawmakers get back to the work they came to Washington to do without spending their time in a hunt for campaign dollars. With 100 co-sponsors, I'm proud to be able to say that FENA has gained the support of over half the Democratic Caucus, but we'll keep on working to gain broad bipartisan support for this much needed reform."