Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to provide for: (1) intermediaries and conduits to report on bundled contributions in the same time and manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of the candidate; (2) certain communications to be treated as independent expenditures; and (3) mandatory electronic filing for persons reporting contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount exceeding a threshold established by the Federal Election Commission.
(Sec. 3) Directs the Commission to require each political committee filing a report to include with the report a filing fee when the amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report exceeds a threshold established by the Commission.
Revises the standard for referral of certain violations to the Attorney General.
Requires the Commission to conduct random audits of the reports of political committees.
(Sec. 4) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for reduced broadcast media rates for candidates.
(Sec. 5) Amends FECA to set forth restrictions on the use of non-Federal funds.
(Sec. 6) Revises requirements for the composition of the Commission and terms of Commissioners and replaces them with new requirements, including one that Commissioners serve no more than a single term.
[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 2051 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2051
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to promote increased
disclosure of spending on campaigns for election for Federal office,
improve the ability of the Federal Election Commission to enforce the
laws governing the financing of such campaigns, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 25, 1997
Mr. Ford introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to promote increased
disclosure of spending on campaigns for election for Federal office,
improve the ability of the Federal Election Commission to enforce the
laws governing the financing of such campaigns, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform
Act of 1997''.
SEC. 2. PROMOTING DISCLOSURE OF CAMPAIGN SPENDING.
(a) Requiring Intermediaries and Conduits To Report on Bundled
Contributions.--Section 315(a)(8) of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(8)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(8)'' and inserting ``(8)(A)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(B) Any person acting as an intermediary or conduit for the
collection or delivery of contributions on behalf of a candidate shall
file reports with the Commission (at the same time and in the same
manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of
a candidate is required to file reports under section 304(a)(4)) on the
contributions collected or delivered and on related activities
conducted on the candidate's behalf.''.
(b) Treatment of Certain Communications as Independent Expenditures
for Reporting Purposes.--Section 301(17) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431(17))
is amended by striking ``identified candidate'' and inserting the
following: ``identified candidate, or any payment for any communication
made during the 90-day period ending on the date of an election which
includes the name or likeness of a candidate,''.
(c) Mandatory Electronic Filing for Persons Meeting Certain
Threshold.--Section 304(a)(11)(A) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)(A))
is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the
following: ``, except that in the case of any person reporting an
amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount
exceeding a threshold established by the Commission, the person shall
file all reports required under this Act by such electronic means,
format, or method.''.
SEC. 3. ENHANCING ENFORCEMENT ABILITIES OF FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.
(a) Permitting FEC To Impose Filing Fee for Reports.--Section 307
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437d) is amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f)(1) The Commission shall require each political committee
filing a report under this title to include with the report a payment
(in an amount established by the Commission) if the amount of
contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report
exceeds a threshold established by the Commission.
``(2) In establishing the amount of payment required to be included
with a report under paragraph (1), the Commission shall take into
account the costs to the Commission which are associated with the
submission of reports under this title.
``(3) The Commission may waive the application of paragraph (1)
with respect to a political committee if the Commission determines that
the payment required would result in a financial hardship to the
committee.
``(4) The Commission may charge a nominal fee for the distribution
of documents to the public.
``(5) The amount appropriated to the Commission for a fiscal year
pursuant to the authorization under section 314 may not be adjusted to
take into account any amounts anticipated to be received by the
Commission during the year pursuant to this subsection.''.
(b) Revised Standard for Referral of Certain Violations to Attorney
General.--Section 309(a)(5)(C) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(5)(C)) is
amended by striking ``by an affirmative vote of 4 of its members,
determined that there is probable cause to believe'' and inserting
``believes''.
(c) Permitting Random Audits.--Section 311(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C.
438(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(b)'' and inserting ``(b)(1)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Commission shall conduct
random audits of the reports of political committees during the 1-year
period which begins on the date of a general election, in accordance
with such criteria as the Commission may establish.''.
SEC. 4. REDUCED BROADCAST RATES FOR CANDIDATES.
(a) In General.--Section 315(b)(1) of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 315(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``the lowest unit
charge'' and inserting ``the applicable percentage of the lowest unit
charge''.
(b) Applicable Percentage Defined.--Section 315(c) of such Act (47
U.S.C. 315(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) the term `applicable percentage' means--
``(A) 70 percent, in the case of a small broadcast
station (as determined by the Commission in accordance
with ratings, market area analysis, and such other
criteria as the Commission may establish), or
``(B) 50 percent, in the case of any other
candidate and any other broadcast station.''.
SEC. 5. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.
Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``restrictions on use of non-federal funds
``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b),
no funds which are not subject to the limitations and prohibitions of
this Act may be expended or disbursed by any person for any activity
which significantly affects an election for Federal office or which
promotes or identifies (in whole or in part) any candidate for election
for Federal office, including any get-out-the-vote drive which
identifies or targets supporters of a candidate for election for
Federal office, or any voter registration drive or development or
maintenance of voter files which occurs during an even-numbered year.
``(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to
any of the following activities:
``(1) The construction, maintenance, or operation of
buildings or broadcast facilities for political parties.
``(2) State or local political party conventions.
``(3) State or local political party administration.
``(4) Generic campaign activity to promote a political
party.
``(5) Any activity which would be described in clause (i),
(iii), or (v) of section 301(9)(B) if payment for the activity
were an expenditure under such section.''.
SEC. 6. APPOINTMENT AND SERVICE OF MEMBERS OF FEDERAL ELECTION
COMMISSION.
(a) Appointment of Additional, Independent Commissioner.--
(1) In general.--Section 306(a)(1) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(1)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``(a)(1)'' and inserting
``(a)(1)(A)'';
(B) in the first sentence, by striking ``6 members
appointed by the President,'' and inserting the
following: ``7 members appointed by the President, of
whom one shall be a political independent nominated for
appointment by the other members serving on the
Commission,''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(B) In subparagraph (A), the term `political independent' means
an individual who at no time after January 1992--
``(i) has held elective office as a member of the
Democratic or Republican party;
``(ii) has received any wages or salary from the Democratic
or Republican party or from a Democratic or Republican party
office-holder or candidate; or
``(iii) has provided substantial volunteer services or made
any substantial contribution to the Democratic or Republican
party or to a Democratic or Republican party office-holder or
candidate.''.
(2) Deadline for initial appointment.--The members of the
Federal Election Commission shall provide the President with a
nominee for appointment to the Commission under section
306(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as
amended by paragraph (1)) not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Limiting Commissioners to Single Term.--Section 306(a)(2)(A) of
such Act (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``terms'' and
inserting ``a single term''.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to
elections occurring after January 1999.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1327)
Referred to the Committee on House Oversight, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House Oversight
Referred to House Commerce
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
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