[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4389 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4389

   To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to exempt news 
stories, commentaries, and editorials distributed through the Internet 
 from treatment as expenditures or electioneering communications under 
                   such Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 2005

 Mr. Miller of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Conyers) 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 exempt news 
stories, commentaries, and editorials distributed through the Internet 
 from treatment as expenditures or electioneering communications under 
                   such Act, 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. EXEMPTION OF INTERNET COMMENTARY FROM TREATMENT AS 
              EXPENDITURE OR ELECTIONEERING COMMUNICATION.

    (a) Treatment as Expenditure.--Section 301(9)(B)(i) of the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(9)(B)(i)) is amended by 
inserting ``the Internet or'' after ``facilities of''.
    (b) Treatment as Electioneering Communication.--Section 
304(f)(3)(B)(i) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(f)(3)(B)(i)) is amended by 
inserting ``the Internet or'' after ``facilities of''.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF VALUE OF ORGANIZING MEETINGS THROUGH INTERNET FROM 
              TREATMENT AS CONTRIBUTION.

    Section 301(8)(B) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 431(8)(B)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' at the end of clause (xiii);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of clause (xiv) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new clause:
            ``(xv) the value of services provided through the Internet 
        in organizing and coordinating meetings of individuals to 
        discuss a candidate or political committee or to volunteer on 
        behalf of a candidate or political committee, whether the 
        services are provided with or without compensation.''.
                                 <all>