McCain-Feingold supporters ready for House battle

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- With Senate approval won for their campaign finance reform bill, Sens. John McCain and Russ Feingold say their sights are now set on helping push the measure through the House of Representatives.

VIDEO Sen. John McCain, (R) Arizona, and Sen. Russ Feingold, (D) Wisconsin, react to the approval of their bill Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   ALSO Campaign finance reform clears significant hurdle McCain and McConnell -- the rivalry continues     MESSAGE BOARD Campaign finance reform    RESOURCES Status and summary of the McCain-Feingold reforms Hagel's bill status and summary (from Thomas)

"We have to get the job done. We can't just rest on our laurels of this wonderful vote," said Feingold, a Democrat from Wisconsin, just minutes after the measure was approved by the Senate in a 59-41 vote Monday.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, who fought all the way up to the vote to derail the legislation, noted how many senators voted against it.

"I think the message is clear that there is substantial opposition to this measure as it leaves the Senate and I think that is an important message to send both to the House and to the White House," said McConnell.

McCain is also aware that there is more battles ahead for the legislation he co-sponsored.

"The time we're going to pop a cork will be the day that the president of the United States signs this bill and we're all together in the Rose Garden at the time of his signature -- that's when we will celebrate and not before," said McCain.

But McConnell warned that he had read Bush's statement of principles and he said he "couldn't find many of them in this bill."

Court challenges are also a certainty if the bill becomes a law.

Republicans who supported the measure and were standing behind McCain and Feingold during a news conference after the vote.

McCain thanked the "majority leader, Senator Lott, for allowing this process to be fair and open" and he thanked other senators from both parties for their aid in negotiating compromises on certain parts of the measure.

He also thanked Democrats who went against the wishes of Labor organizations in supporting the measure.

The Republican from Arizona, who made campaign finance reform the center of his failed bid for the White House, noted that the current systems favors incumbents. But he said he hoped that voters would reward the lawmakers who try to change the system.

He also dismissed critics who said the limits on campaign money would infringe on freedom of speech.

"The reason why I'm so strongly in favor of this legislation is because average citizens are being deprived of their right of free speech when the megaphone is held by those with big money," said McCain. "The average citizens do not have their place at the table here in the legislative process, and thereby being deprived of their free speech.

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Federal Election Commission
  • Campaign Finance Law Resources
Election and Campaign Finance Law
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona

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