WASHINGTON — Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Ky., said Monday that Enron's collapse may influence wavering lawmakers to vote for campaign finance reform.

        Enron executives were major political donors and had access to lawmakers and administration officials. The Bush administration has said that Enron received no special treatment, but campaign donations have been a sensitive issue as the administration and Congress investigate the company's failure.

        “You can see that big money buys influence and access,” said Mr. Lucas, who has worked for campaign finance reform with other conservative Democrats. He got no campaign money from Enron employees and their relatives, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

        Supporters of campaign finance reform collected signatures from a majority of House lawmakers to force a debate this week on several alternatives. The Senate approved its version of campaign finance reform in April but the House suspended the effort this summer.

        A bill from Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Mass., would ban most soft money donations — unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations and labor unions to political parties for party building and get-out-the-vote activities. The bill also would prevent interest groups from advertising for or against candidates 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election.

        An alternative sponsored by Rep. Robert Ney, R-Ohio, and Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., would limit individual soft money donations to $75,000 a year. House Republican leaders also have developed other alternatives and amendments to undermine Shays-Meehan, which they oppose.

        The Supreme Court has upheld federal contribution limits to political candidates but has ruled candidates, individuals or activists can spend unlimited amounts of their own money on political speech. Proposed restrictions on soft money and issue advertising would be the most significant adjustments to campaign finance since reforms passed after the Watergate corruption scandal in the 1970s.

        Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, has said the court likely would strike down the Shays-Meehan bill if it becomes law because of restrictions on advertising. However, the congressman supports a soft money ban.

        Reps. John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also oppose the Shays-Meehan bill. Reps. Baron Hill, D-Ind.; Tony Hall, D-Ohio; and Ted Strickland, D-Ohio, support the bill.

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