Campaign Reform Act of 2006 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to entitle an eligible House of Representatives candidate to receive payments in support of the candidate's election campaign in an amount equal to the amount of qualified contributions received, not to exceed the aggregate matching payment limit of $175,000, subject to specified adjustments.
Establishes the House of Representatives Election Campaign Account, as a separate account in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, from which all payments under this Act shall be made.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5281 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5281
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide matching
funds for candidates in elections for the House of Representatives, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 3, 2006
Mr. Leach introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide matching
funds for candidates in elections for the House of Representatives, 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 ``Campaign Reform Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. MATCHING FUNDS FOR HOUSE CANDIDATES.
(a) Matching Funds.--The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2
U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
title:
``TITLE V--MATCHING FUNDS FOR HOUSE CANDIDATES
``SEC. 501. AVAILABILITY OF MATCHING FUNDS.
``(a) In General.--An eligible House of Representatives candidate
shall be entitled to receive payments under this title in support of
the candidate's campaign for election in an amount equal to the amount
of qualified contributions received by the candidate, but not to exceed
the aggregate matching payment limit under subsection (b).
``(b) Aggregate Matching Payment Limit for Candidate.--The
aggregate matching payment limit with respect to an eligible House of
Representatives candidate in an election is $175,000, subject to the
following adjustments:
``(1) If any opponent of the candidate who is not an
eligible House of Representatives candidate receives
contributions with respect to the election in an aggregate
amount exceeding $500,000, the aggregate matching payment limit
shall be equal to the aggregate amount of contributions
received by the opponent.
``(2) In the case of an election which is a contested
primary election (as determined by the Commission), if any
opponent of the candidate receives contributions in an
aggregate amount exceeding $50,000, the aggregate matching
payment limit shall be increased by $75,000.
``(3) In the case of an election which is a runoff
election, the aggregate matching payment limit shall be
increased by $50,000.
``(c) Qualified Contribution Defined.--In this section, the term
`qualified contribution' means, with respect to a candidate for an
election, a contribution--
``(1) which is made by an individual residing in the State
in which the candidate seeks election whose aggregate
contributions to the candidate for the election do not exceed
$500; and
``(2) which is in the form of a gift of money made by a
written instrument that identifies the individual making the
contribution.
``(d) Source of Payments.--All payments made under this title shall
be made from the House of Representatives Election Campaign Account
described in section 503.
``SEC. 502. ELIGIBLE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CANDIDATE DEFINED.
``(a) In General.--For purposes of this title, an `eligible House
of Representatives candidate' means a candidate for the office of
Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the
Congress who files a statement of participation with the Commission in
which the candidate certifies each of the following:
``(1) In the election cycle, the candidate has received
$10,000 in contributions from individuals.
``(2) The candidate qualifies for the primary or general
election ballot.
``(3) The candidate has an opponent on the primary or
general election ballot.
``(4) The candidate will not receive contributions or make
expenditures with respect to the election in excess of--
``(A) $500,000; or
``(B) the aggregate matching payment limit for the
candidate under section 501(b),
whichever is greater.
``(5) The candidate agrees to cooperate in the case of any
audit by the Commission by furnishing such campaign records and
other information as the Commission may require.
``(b) Repayment of Matching Funds.--If an eligible House of
Representatives candidate receives contributions or makes expenditures
in excess of the spending limit specified in subsection (a)(4), the
candidate shall repay the House of Representatives Election Campaign
Account described in section 503 an amount equal to the amounts spent
in excess of such limit.
``SEC. 503. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT.
``(a) Account.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall maintain in the
Presidential Election Campaign Fund established by section
9006(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in addition to
any other accounts maintained under such section, a separate
account to be known as the House of Representatives Election
Campaign Account.
``(2) Amounts.--The Secretary shall deposit in the Account,
for use by eligible House of Representatives candidates--
``(A) the amounts available after the Secretary
determines that the amounts in the Presidential
Election Campaign Fund necessary for payments under
subtitle H of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 are
adequate;
``(B) any repayments made under section 502(b); and
``(C) any amount appropriated pursuant to the
supplemental authorization described in paragraph (3).
``(3) Supplemental authorization.--If the Secretary issues
a certification that amounts in the Account will not be
adequate to make payments under this title during a fiscal
year, there are authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal
year for deposit in the Account such sums as may be necessary
to ensure that amounts in the Account will be adequate to make
such payments (as provided by the Secretary in the
certification).
``(4) Availability.--All amounts in the Account shall
remain available without fiscal year limitation.
``(b) Certification and Payment.--
``(1) Certification.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2)
and (3), not later than 5 days after receiving a request for
payment under this title from an eligible House of
Representatives candidate, the Commission shall submit to the
Secretary of the Treasury a certification for payment of the
amount to which a candidate is entitled under section 501. Upon
receipt of such a certification, the Secretary shall promptly
pay to the candidate from the House of Representatives Election
Campaign Account maintained pursuant to subsection (a) the
amount certified by the Commission.
``(2) Payments.--The initial payment under this section to
an eligible candidate shall be $10,000. All payments shall be--
``(A) made not later than 48 hours after
certification under paragraph (1); and
``(B) subject to proportional reduction in the case
of an insufficient balance in the Account maintained
pursuant to subsection (a).
``(3) Incorrect request.--If the Commission determines that
any portion of a request is incorrect, the Commission shall
withhold the certification for that portion only and inform the
candidate as to how the candidate may correct the request.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
apply with respect to elections occurring after December 2006.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
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