Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Prohibiting Foreign Election Assistance Act of 2019

Treatment of information sought or obtained for political advantage from foreign nationals

(a)

Clarification of treatment as thing of value for purposes of foreign money ban

Section 319(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30121(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking or other thing of value and inserting or other thing of value (including information sought or obtained for political advantage). (b)

Enhanced penalty for violation

(1)

In general

Section 309(d)(1) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30109(d)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(E)Any person who knowingly and willfully commits a violation of section 319 which involves the making, solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of any contribution, donation, or expenditure involving information sought or obtained for political advantage, shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.

(2)

Effective date

The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to contributions, donations, and expenditures which are made, solicited, accepted, or received on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Requiring acknowledgment of foreign money ban by political committees

(a)

Provision of information by Federal Election Commission

Section 303 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30103) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(e)

Acknowledgment of foreign money ban

(1)

Notification by Commission

Not later than 30 days after a political committee files its statement of organization under subsection (a), and biennially thereafter until the committee terminates, the Commission shall provide the committee with a written explanation of section 319. (2)

Acknowledgment by committee

(A)

In general

Not later than 30 days after receiving the written explanation of section 319 under paragraph (1), the committee shall transmit to the Commission a signed certification that the committee has received such written explanation and has provided a copy of the explanation to all members, employees, contractors, and volunteers of the committee. (B)

Person responsible for signature

The certification required under subparagraph (A) shall be signed— (i)in the case of an authorized committee of a candidate, by the candidate; or (ii)in the case of any other political committee, by the treasurer of the committee.

(b)

Effective date; transition for existing committees

(1)

In general

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to political committees which file statements of organization under section 303 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30103) on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. (2)

Transition for existing committees

(A)

Notification by Federal Election Commission

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Election Commission shall provide each political committee under such Act with the written explanation of section 319 of such Act, as required under section 303(e)(1) of such Act (as added by subsection (a)). (B)

Acknowledgment by committee

Not later than 30 days after receiving the written explanation under subparagraph (A), each political committee under such Act shall transmit to the Federal Election Commission the signed certification, as required under section 303(e)(2) of such Act (as added by subsection (a)).