WASHINGTON — Sponsors of a sweeping campaign finance bill agreed Tuesday to leave current free-spending rules in effect until after this fall's election as they labored to solidify support before a House showdown.
"The time for reform has arrived," said Rep. Martin Meehan of Massachusetts, as he lobbied fellow Democrats by phone. "It's time for the members (of the House) to stand up and be counted."
"I think it will be very close tomorrow," said Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of the GOP leadership united in its opposition to the bill.
House Republican critics readied a series of amendments aimed at fracturing the coalition behind the bill, fearful its passage would threaten their hold on power. They claimed support from inside the White House, but worked without overt help from President Bush.
"The president is not lobbying, no," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
At the same time, though, Republican party chairman Marc Racicot circulated a memo to lawmakers declaring that certain aspects of the bill were of "vital concern" to the GOP, and urged them to take Bush's views into account.
Republicans are particularly concerned that organized labor would be permitted to continue using dues money for political purposes without getting permission from members of the rank and file.
Apart from objections on political grounds, lawmakers on both sides of the bill agree it is open to constitutional challenge.
The bill is "clearly unconstitutional," argued Rep. Robert Ney, R-Ohio, sponsor of an alternative that limits soft money donations without banning them. In particular, he cited a provision banning a certain type of late-campaign television commercials.
The measure, long advocated by Sens. John McCain and his allies in both houses, provides for the most sweeping overhaul of campaign finance laws since the post-Watergate reforms of a quarter-century ago.
The House bill, advanced by Meehan and Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., would ban the unlimited, unregulated "soft money" donations, typically in five or six-figure amounts, that corporations, unions and individuals make to national political parties.
State and local parties would be permitted to raise soft money, but only in amounts of $10,000 or less. None of the funds could be spent on political commercials.
The measure also would ban "issue ads" within 60 days of an election or 30 days of a primary. These ads are financed by soft money, and while they stop short of expressly advocating the victory or defeat of a candidate, they often are harshly critical.
With debate scheduled to begin later in the day, the bill's main sponsors set a strategy of standing aside for votes on one or two changes demanded by various members of their coalition. At the same time, they labeled other proposed changes as "poison pills" designed to stop them from passing the bill, winning quick Senate acquiescence and sending it to Bush's desk for his signature.