Washington, D.C. - Today, Nick Nyhart, Executive Director of Public Campaign, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to passing comprehensive campaign finance reform, released a statement supporting the Shays-Meehan campaign finance legislation that would put an end to the millions of dollars poured into political parties via the soft money loophole.

"On Tuesday, the House of Representatives will finally take up the issue of campaign finance reform, after years of Congressional foot-dragging and outright obstruction," said Nyhart. "And while the bill that they will start out debating leaves much to be done, it is a crucial first step towards removing the special interest money that dominates our political process today.

"Dealing with soft money is an essential element of creating a 'Clean Money/Clean Elections' system. We can't free candidates from their dependence on hard-money contributions if they and their parties can still raise millions in unchecked, unregulated contributions used to supplant their already overflowing campaign coffers.

"This bill won't get all of the big money out of politics. But it will reduce its dominance. And once Shays-Meehan passes and becomes law, we'll be able to focus on the next step toward comprehensive reform, which is ending the corrupting influence of hard money by offering candidates the alternative of financing their campaigns with disinterested, Clean Money public funds."