Washington, DC — As more than 35 million Americans celebrate the joy of reading on March 1st and 2nd, Congressman Adam Smith will visit a classroom at Alpac Elementary School in Pacific, WA to read to the children.  The occasion is the National Education Association's (NEA) fifth annual literacy celebration, Read Across America, which coincides each year with the birthday of the late Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel).

“Promoting education is one of my top priorities,” Smith said. “Most education experts agree that reading aloud to children is imperative to their success.  It's also a great activity for parents, because they are spending time with their kids and helping them to build their knowledge.”

NEA's Read Across America was created by a small group of teachers and NEA staff in 1998 to honor reading and to celebrate the fun of the late great Dr. Seuss on his birthday, March 2.  Since the good doctor's 98th birthday falls on a Saturday in 2002, the official Read Across America celebration is being held on March 1. 

When:        March 1, 2002
                 11 a.m.

Where:      Alpac Elementary School
                 310 Milwaukee Blvd. North
                 Pacific, WA  98047

Contact:    Barbara Hegedorn, 253-931-4976.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) applauded the House of Representatives for passing HR 2356, the landmark Shays-Meehan comprehensive campaign finance reform legislation, tonight by a vote of 240-189.

“The Shays-Meehan reform bill will eliminate the most egregious aspect of campaign financing — soft money,”  Smith said.  “Soft money contributions are the unlimited and unregulated amounts of money that are given to political parties and then funneled to candidates.  It’s a loophole that has allowed big contributors to avoid federal election law and public scrutiny.”

“Under current law, campaign spending can be hidden in ‘soft money,’” Smith explained. “For example, although a PAC can only contribute $5,000 per election to a candidate, it could contribute unlimited amounts of money to a state political party to use on behalf of that same candidate.  Soft money violates the spirit of the law, and it should be regulated like all political contributions.”

In addition to eliminating federal soft money, Shays-Meehan also limits the use of state party soft money contributions for federal candidates, regulates issue advocacy and strengthens the ability of the Federal Election Commission to ensure that election laws are obeyed.

“I am very proud to have been a co-sponsor of this important bipartisan, bicameral legislation.  This is something that we’ve been working towards for a long time, and after five years, this is the first time that campaign finance reform has passed both the House and the Senate,” Smith said.  “A strong coalition of Democrats and Republicans worked together to limit the influence of wealthy contributors in elections and give regular Americans a louder voice in their democracy, and I hope that President Bush will sign the bill without delay.”