3.0.0 424 2023-01-11T13:29:05Z 2023-01-11T13:29:05Z House HR 2015-01-21 114 [Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 21, 2015)]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. PRICE of North Carolina:H.R. 424.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Congressional power to provide for public financing ofcampaigns arises under the General Welfare Clause, Art. I,Sec. 8, of the Constitution.In Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 91 (1976), the SupremeCourt upheld the congressional power to enact publicfinancing of presidential elections under this Clause. TheSupreme Court stated with regard to the provisions in theFederal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1974 establishinga presidential public financing system, ``In this case,Congress was legislating for the `general welfare'--to reducethe deleterious influence of large contributions on ourpolitical process, to facilitate communication by candidateswith the electorate, and to free candidates from the rigorsof fundraising.''[Page H480]]]> hswm00 Ways and Means Committee House Standing Referred to 2015-01-21T15:03:30Z hsha00 Committee on House Administration House Standing Referred to 2015-01-21T15:03:25Z Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act 114 425 HR 2015-01-21 Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. Related bill CRS EMPOWER Act 114 2143 HR 2015-04-30 Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. Related bill CRS Empowering Mass Participation to Offset the Wealthy's Electoral Role Act of 2015 114 1176 S 2015-04-30 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Related bill CRS Stop Super PAC-Candidate Coordination Act 114 1838 S 2015-07-22 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S5459-5460) Related bill CRS Empowering Citizens Act 114 3250 S 2016-07-14 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Related bill CRS 2015-01-21 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hswm00 Ways and Means Committee 2015-01-21 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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. IntroReferral H11100-A 9 Library of Congress 2015-01-21 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsha00 Committee on House Administration 2015-01-21 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2015-01-21 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress P000523 Rep. Price, David E. [D-NC-4] DAVID PRICE D NC E. 4 N V000128 Rep. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD-8] Chris Van Hollen D MD 8 2015-01-21 True W000800 Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] Peter Welch D VT 0 2015-01-27 False P000598 Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2] Jared Polis D CO 2 2015-01-28 False C001084 Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] David Cicilline D RI N. 1 2015-04-22 False B000574 Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3] EARL BLUMENAUER D OR 3 2016-06-16 False P000607 Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] Mark Pocan D WI 2 2016-06-16 False Government Operations and Politics Accounting and auditing Administrative law and regulatory procedures Civil actions and liability Congressional elections Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Federal Election Commission (FEC) Government information and archives Government trust funds Inflation and prices Judicial review and appeals Political advertising Political parties and affiliation Public participation and lobbying Tax administration and collection, taxpayers Government Operations and Politics 00 2015-01-21 Introduced in House 2016-09-27T18:55:21Z Empowering Citizens Act

Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to revise the system of public financing for presidential primary and general elections occurring after January 1, 2016, and to establish a system of public financing for congressional elections.

Increases the amount of matching funds for presidential primaries from a one-to-one match to a six-to-one match for contributions of $250 or less from individuals, with a limit on aggregate individual contributions of $1,000. Limits the total amount of payments to a presidential primary candidate to $300 million. Provides for an inflation adjustment to matching contributions beginning after 2015.

Requires presidential primary candidates who opt to participate in the public financing system to certify to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that they have raised $25,000 (currently, $5,000) in each of 20 states, with individual contributions limited to $250. Requires such candidates to commit to accept public financing in both the primary and general elections.

Prohibits presidential primary candidates from accepting contributions or bundled contributions (i.e., combining small contributions into one large contribution) from lobbyists or political action committees (PACs).

Eliminates expenditure limitations for presidential primary and general elections.

Changes the period for payment of matching funds to presidential primary candidates from January 1 of the election year to six months prior to the date of the earliest state primary election.

Revises general election payment provisions to allow a grant of $50 million to candidates and an additional $150 million in matching funds based upon a six-to-one match of contributions raised after June 1 of the general election year from individual donors giving up to $250 each.

Increases to $100 million the limit on coordinated spending by a national party and its presidential candidate in a general election campaign.

Provides for public financing of congressional election campaigns. Establishes the Empowering Citizens Payment Account in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund to finance congressional election campaigns.

Amends the FECA to prohibit federal candidates or office holders from soliciting, receiving, directing, or transferring funds to or on behalf of any political committee that accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with FECA limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements (Super PACs), or to or on behalf of any Section 527 organization which accepts such donations or contributions (other than a committee of a state or local political party or a candidate for election for state or local office).

Increases from $3 to $20 ($6 to $40 for joint returns) the tax check-off for contributions to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Directs the Department of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to ensure that approved tax preparation software does not automatically accept or decline a check-off of contributions for the public financing system.

Directs the FEC to issue regulations on best efforts for identifying persons making contributions to political committees.

Prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate from establishing a joint fundraising committee with a political committee other than an authorized committee of a candidate.

Revises reporting requirements for the disclosure of bundled contributions by lobbyists and to presidential campaigns.

Sets forth rules for judicial review of campaign finance laws and FEC actions.

]]> Empowering Citizens Act Display Title Empowering Citizens Act Official Title as Introduced To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the system of public financing for Presidential elections, to establish a system of public financing for Congressional elections, to promote the disclosure of disbursements made in coordination with campaigns for election for Federal office, and for other purposes. Introduced in House IH Short Titles as Introduced Empowering Citizens Act Introduced in House 2015-01-21T05:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-114hr424ih/xml/BILLS-114hr424ih.xml 2015-01-21 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.