[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8655 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8655

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit any individual from 
  holding certain political campaign or fundraising events on Federal 
                   property, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 23, 2020

Mr. Cicilline introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit any individual from 
  holding certain political campaign or fundraising events on Federal 
                   property, 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 ``White House is Not a Political Prop 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OR FUNDRAISING EVENTS ON 
              FEDERAL PROPERTY.

    Section 607 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Prohibition.--
            ``(1) In general.--It shall be unlawful for any officer or 
        employee of the Federal Government, including the President, 
        Vice President, and any Member of Congress--
                    ``(A) to hold any political campaign event, or 
                otherwise solicit or accept any contribution as defined 
                in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
                1971, on or in any Federal property; or
                    ``(B) to use any Federal property at such an event 
                or for the purposes of soliciting or accepting any such 
                contribution.
            ``(2) Penalty.--A person who violates this subsection shall 
        be fined up to $50,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or 
        both.
            ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    ``(A) the term `Federal property' means any 
                building, land, vehicle (including aircraft), or other 
                real property owned, leased, or occupied by any 
                department, agency, or instrumentality of the United 
                States (including the White House (except for the 
                Executive Residence), the Department of Defense, the 
                United States Postal Service, or the National Park 
                Service), or any other instrumentality wholly owned by 
                the United States; and
                    ``(B) the term `political campaign event' means an 
                occasion or gathering of individuals, in person or 
                virtually, the purpose of which, in any material part, 
                is to promote, or solicit or accept funds or 
                contributions for the campaign of, a candidate for 
                election for the office of President, Vice President, 
                or any other Federal office (as such terms are defined 
                in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
                1971).
            ``(4) Rule of construction.--The prohibition in paragraph 
        (1) shall not apply to the use of any vehicle owned or leased 
        by the Federal Government for travel to any event so long as 
        such use is not treated as an in-kind contribution under the 
        Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``The prohibition in 
        subsection (a)'' and inserting ``Exception.--The prohibitions 
        in subsections (a) and (c)''.
                                 <all>