DISCLOSE Act vote fails in Senate

WASHINGTON, July 27 (UPI) -- Democrats failed to bring to the Senate floor Tuesday legislation designed to make sure corporate and union political financing is public.

The procedural vote on the Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act was 57-41, falling three votes shy of the 60 needed to head off a Republican filibuster, NBC reported.

Democratic leaders had sought support from Republican Maine Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, along with Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass. The moderate GOP trio had previously indicated they would vote against allowing the DISCLOSE Act to come up for floor debate.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, Ind-Conn., did not vote because he was out of town for a funeral, NBC said. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also cast a negative vote because under Senate rules only someone on the losing side can resurrect it, the network said.

Democrats contend the measure is necessary after a decision last term by the U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United vs. FEC, which essentially outlawed federal restrictions on political spending by corporations, unions and non-profits. The court said the restrictions violated free speech.

The White House issued a statement of policy earlier Tuesday, saying the Obama administration "strongly supports Senate passage" of the legislation.

"The administration believes the DISCLOSE Act is a necessary measure so that Americans will know who is trying to influence the nation's elections," the statement said.

The policy statement said the proposal "also prevents those who should not interfere in the nation's elections -- such as corporations controlled by foreign interests -- from doing so. Unless the strong new disclosure rules ... are established, the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case will give corporations undue power to influence elections."

The statement went on to say the bill "is not perfect" but would be a major step in the right direction.

"For example, the administration would have preferred no exemptions. But, by providing for unprecedented transparency, (the Senate legislation) takes great strides to hold corporations that participate in the nation's elections accountable to the American people," the administration said.