What_DTQ happens_VVZ when_CJS you_PNP put_VVD three_CRD Democrats_NN2 and_CJC three_CRD Republicans_NN2 in_PRP a_AT0 room_NN1 ?_SENT Nothing_PNI ._SENT They_PNP might_VM0 shout_VVI and_CJC grandstand_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC the_AT0 odds_NN2 are_VBB small_AJ0 that_CJT there_EX0 'll_VM0 be_VBI substantive_AJ0 progress_NN1 on_PRP important_AJ0 issues_NN2 or_CJC ,_PUN in_PRP the_AT0 case_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Federal_AJ0 Election_NN1 Commission_NN1 ,_PUN enforcement_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 nation_NN1 's_POS election_NN1 laws_NN2 ._SENT Congress_NN1 might_VM0 not_XX0 be_VBI able_AJ0 to_TO0 mend_VVI the_AT0 bitter_AJ0 partisanship_NN1 that_CJT rends_VVZ the_AT0 nation_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC it_PNP at_PRP least_AV0 could_VM0 fix_VVI this_DT0 important_AJ0 agency_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 FEC_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT0 referee_NN1 for_PRP national_AJ0 elections_NN2 ._SENT When_CJS a_AT0 candidate_NN1 for_PRP president_NN1 or_CJC Congress_NN1 breaks_VVZ campaign_NN1 laws_NN2 ,_PUN when_CJS a_AT0 donor_NN1 makes_VVZ an_AT0 improper_AJ0 campaign_NN1 contribution_NN1 or_CJC when_CJS an_AT0 advocacy_NN1 group_NN1 runs_VVZ illegal_AJ0 ads_NN2 about_PRP an_AT0 election_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 FEC_NN1 calls_VVZ foul_AJ0 and_CJC imposes_VVZ sanctions_NN2 ._SENT It_PNP has_VHZ n't_XX0 done_VDN that_DT0 in_PRP recent_AJ0 years_NN2 because_CJS it_PNP has_VHZ been_VBN hamstrung_VVN by_PRP partisanship_NN1 and_CJC vacancies_NN2 left_VVD unfilled_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 FEC_NN1 is_VBZ supposed_AJ0 to_TO0 have_VHI six_CRD members_NN2 ,_PUN no_AV0 more_AV0 than_CJS three_CRD of_PRF whom_PNQ may_VM0 be_VBI from_PRP one_CRD political_AJ0 party_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP practice_NN1 ,_PUN that_DT0 means_VVZ the_AT0 board_NN1 almost_AV0 always_AV0 splits_VVZ three-three_CRD between_PRP Democrats_NN2 and_CJC Republicans_NN2 ._SENT Because_CJS it_PNP takes_VVZ four_CRD votes_NN2 to_TO0 do_VDI anything_PNI ,_PUN there_EX0 needs_VVZ to_TO0 be_VBI some_DT0 bipartisan_AJ0 agreement_NN1 ._SENT Good_AJ0 luck_NN1 finding_VVG that_DT0 ._SENT U.S._NP0 Rep._NN1 Derek_NP0 Kilmer_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 Gig_NN1 Harbor_NN1 Democrat_NN1 ,_PUN has_VHZ been_VBN pushing_VVG to_TO0 reform_VVI the_AT0 FEC_NN1 for_PRP years_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC he_PNP 's_VHZ gotten_VVN some_DT0 traction_NN1 ._SENT His_DPS ideas_NN2 made_VVD it_PNP into_PRP a_AT0 massive_AJ0 election_NN1 reform_NN1 bill_NN1 that_CJT has_VHZ passed_VVN the_AT0 U.S._NP0 House_NN1 and_CJC awaits_VVZ action_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 Senate_NN1 ._SENT Kilmer_NP0 wants_VVZ to_TO0 take_VVI the_AT0 commission_NN1 down_AVP to_PRP five_CRD members_NN2 with_PRP a_AT0 requirement_NN1 that_CJT at_PRP least_AV0 one_PNI be_VBI an_AT0 independent_NN1 who_PNQ has_VHZ n't_XX0 registered_VVN or_CJC been_VBN involved_VVN with_PRP a_AT0 political_AJ0 party_NN1 for_PRP at_PRP least_AV0 five_CRD years_NN2 ._SENT With_PRP an_AT0 odd_AJ0 number_NN1 of_PRF members_NN2 ,_PUN tie_NN1 votes_NN2 that_CJT prevent_VVB action_NN1 would_VM0 be_VBI rare_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC with_PRP a_AT0 little_AJ0 luck_NN1 the_AT0 independent_AJ0 would_VM0 be_VBI truly_AV0 nonpartisan_AJ0 ._SENT A_AT0 "_PUQ blue_AJ0 ribbon_NN1 "_PUQ advisory_AJ0 committee_NN1 would_VM0 recommend_VVI candidates_NN2 to_PRP the_AT0 president_NN1 for_PRP nomination_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC the_AT0 Senate_NN1 would_VM0 need_VVI to_TO0 confirm_VVI them_PNP ._SENT Kilmer_NP0 drew_VVD inspiration_NN1 for_PRP this_DT0 model_NN1 from_PRP Washington_NP0 's_POS redistricting_AJ0 commission_NN1 ,_PUN with_PRP its_DPS five_CRD members_NN2 ,_PUN one_CRD of_PRF whom_PNQ is_VBZ nonpartisan_AJ0 and_CJC chairs_VVZ the_AT0 commission_NN1 ._SENT It_PNP has_VHZ successfully_AV0 drawn_VVN the_AT0 state_NN1 's_POS congressional_AJ0 districts_NN2 every_AT0 10_CRD years_NN2 for_PRP the_AT0 past_AJ0 three_CRD decades_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 fate_NN1 of_PRF Kilmer_NP0 's_POS proposal_NN1 hinges_VVZ on_PRP Senate_NN1 Republicans_NN2 who_PNQ have_VHB opposed_VVN reforming_VVG the_AT0 FEC_NN1 and_CJC can_VM0 filibuster_VVI the_AT0 bill_NN1 ._SENT They_PNP worry_VVB that_CJT Democrats_NN2 would_VM0 stack_VVI the_AT0 new_AJ0 commission_NN1 with_PRP a_AT0 fifth_ORD member_NN1 who_PNQ is_VBZ nonpartisan_AJ0 on_PRP paper_NN1 but_CJC aligns_VVZ with_PRP the_AT0 left_NN1 ._SENT 
