SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 20
(By Senator Hunter)
Urging the United States Supreme Court to reverse and overturn
its decision in Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U. S. 1 (1976),
holding that campaign expenditure limits are
unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds.
Whereas, The United States Supreme Court held in the case of
Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U. S. 1 (1976) that mandatory campaign
limits were unconstitutional on free speech grounds under the
First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and
Whereas, The National Association of Secretaries of State
have supported the efforts of twenty-four state attorneys general
and numerous law school professors and legal scholars to review
and attempt to reverse the decision of Buckley v. Valeo; and
Whereas, Since the Buckley v. Valeo ruling there has been an
increase of more than seven hundred percent in the cost of
federal elections and unlimited campaign spending threatens the
integrity of the election process and clearly demonstrates that
financing of campaigns is out of control; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate believes the Buckley v. Valeo decision is
wrong and should be overturned. The decision did not declare a
valuable principle that we should hesitate to challenge. On the
contrary, it is is t is misunderstoodandings not only what free speech really is
but what it really means for free people to govern themselves.
The Senate calls for the reconsideration and reversal of the
Buckley v. Valeo decision; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to
forward a copy of this resolution to the Clerk of the United
State Supreme Court and the members of the West Virginia
delegation in Congress.