[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 203 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6748-H6749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMENDING THE FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACT OF 1971 TO EXTEND THE
ADMINISTRATIVE FINE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN REPORTING VIOLATIONS
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(S. 2747) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to extend
the Administrative Fine Program for certain reporting violations.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 2747
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF ADMINISTRATIVE FINE PROGRAM.
Section 309(a)(4)(C)(v) of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30109(a)(4)(C)(v)) is amended by
striking ``December 31, 2023'' and inserting ``December 31,
2033''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
General Leave
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include
extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2747, a bill to amend the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to extend the Administrative Fine
Program for certain reporting violations for an additional 10 years.
Congress has previously extended this program six times, each time on
a nonpartisan basis. I rise today to encourage my colleagues to again
extend the authorization of this crucial program.
The Federal Elections Commission, commonly referred to as the FEC,
enforces Federal law that requires political committees to file reports
of receipts and disbursements by a certain date.
{time} 1415
Under the Administrative Fine Program, the FEC is able to swiftly
resolve infractions related to late-filed or unfiled reports, ensuring
transparency and accountability in our political process.
Currently, the Administrative Fine Program is set to expire on
December 31, 2023. By passing this bill today, the House will extend
the program for an additional 10 years, ensuring the FEC can
expeditiously assess and enforce fines against campaign committees for
their late-filed or unfiled reports.
Without the Administrative Fine Program, the FEC would be required to
go through its traditional enforcement process to achieve compliance.
This process is more costly and more time consuming. It would result in
fewer available resources for the agency to devote to serious
violations of campaign finance law.
The Administrative Fine Program has been successful. Before the
inception of the Administrative Fine Program, an average of 21 percent
of campaign finance reports were filed late. Now, late-filed reports
are below 10 percent, and the agency has assessed over $9 million in
fines. It is important to note that these fines do not fund the agency
but are deposited in the U.S. Treasury.
Fewer late-filed reports means greater transparency for the American
public. Greater transparency builds Americans' confidence in our
elections.
The bill not only accomplishes the immediate goal of efficient
campaign finance regulation, but it also aligns with the broader
objectives of the American Confidence in Elections Act, or ACE Act:
transparency and our shared goal to ensure confidence in our elections.
By passing this bill today, we can ensure the FEC enforcement
operations continue to run smoothly. In late September, the Committee
on House Administration considered an identical bill, H.R. 5734, and
reported it to the full House by voice vote.
Our Senate colleagues passed S. 2747 by voice earlier this fall,
which means this important bill would go to the President's desk
following passage in the House.
I am urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join the
bipartisan membership of the Committee on House Administration and the
Senate Rules Committee to support this important measure today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from
Wisconsin for advancing this bill.
I rise in strong support of S. 2747, and I will probably be repeating
and underscoring some of the things my good friend said, because this
is important legislation. We should take time out to acknowledge how
important it is.
This bill extends the Federal Election Commission's Administrative
Fine Program for certain campaign finance reporting violations, which,
as my good friend mentioned, has been extended several times in the
past, last time through President Trump, and this will take it through
the end of 2033.
The important program allows the FEC to assess administrative fines
against those who fail to timely report their receipts and
disbursements. The FEC relies heavily on the Administrative Fine
Program to enforce campaign finance law.
It has been remarkably successful, as has been said. Since the year
2000, the FEC has made public more than 4,000 violations, and, through
the program,
[[Page H6749]]
has assessed more than $8.8 million in fines.
It is important to note, before the program began, an average of 21
percent of campaign finance reports were filed late. Since the
Administrative Fine Program has been in place, that number has been
reduced to less than 10 percent.
The FEC has made it clear to Congress that this program is one of the
most effective tools it currently has to combat campaign finance
violations, and the extension of the program, which expires at the end
of this year, is indeed vital.
Extending the Administrative Fine Program is the Commission's top-
priority, bipartisan legislative recommendation, and the Commissioners
reiterated the need to extend the program during a hearing in front of
the Committee on House Administration in September.
Further, this extension has wide bipartisan support. A version of
this extension, I will just note parenthetically, was included in both
the Democrats' Freedom to Vote Act and the Republicans' ACE Act. It is
interesting when we can get an agreement on two bills which vary pretty
dramatically. I was grateful to partner with Chairman Steil on the
House version of this extension.
Transparency and accountability in campaign finance are crucial to
ensuring a healthy democracy. More than a century ago, Associate
Justice of the United States Supreme Court Louis Brandeis declared
that: ``Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.'' This
counsel, encouraging transparency and promoting good governance,
remains vitally important to any strong civil society today.
Transparency about who is seeking to influence Federal elections is
crucial to democratic self-governance. This is the purpose of the FEC,
and this bipartisan act, S. 2747, will ensure that the FEC can continue
to use one of its most effective tools to carry out its vital mission.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support S. 2747 to
help preserve a crucial program and key tool enforcing our Nation's
transparency and accountability laws.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Lee), the chair of the Subcommittee on Elections of the
Committee on House Administration and the former Florida Secretary of
State.
Ms. LEE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues
in expressing support of S. 2747, a bill to amend the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 to extend the Administrative Fine Program for
certain reporting violations.
As the expiration deadline of December 31, 2023, approaches rather
quickly, we, the Members of the House of Representatives, have an
opportunity to continue the trend of bipartisan oversight of the
Federal Election Commission.
If passed, S. 2747 will mark the seventh time that lawmakers have
recognized the administrative importance and financially beneficial
structure of the Administrative Fine Program.
As the former Florida Secretary of State, I know firsthand that
voters will always seek transparency from political candidates and
political campaigns.
Elections officials have a saying: Elections are partisan. Elections
administration is not.
This bill is an example of that very principle. It is an example of
the transparency and the confidence that Americans want to see in their
elections. These same themes can be found in the American Confidence in
Elections Act, which passed out of the Committee on House
Administration in mid-July and is an example of the types of procedures
and principles and laws that can be guidance for every State in
America.
Today, we have the opportunity to showcase the cooperation, the
diligence, and the work completed by members and staff on the Committee
on House Administration and the Senate Rules Committee. This bill
reflects our shared values, bipartisanship, transparency, and good
governance.
I urge my colleagues to support S. 2747 so the Federal Election
Commission can continue to ensure confidence and transparency in our
elections process.
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Morelle, the ranking member on the
Committee on House Administration, for his work in this regard.
As noted by my colleague, sometimes we disagree on elections
administration. We have had those debates in our committee. This piece
of legislation is a true nonpartisan opportunity for us to come
together to provide more transparency for the American people, in
particular, to make sure that this important program continues in place
at the Federal Election Commission.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to be
here with my colleagues. It is interesting to me, as I went home over
the weekend, there were a number of public events. One of the things
people are concerned about in Congress, when they watch us, is that we
often seem to have the inability to agree on anything.
Well, I remind people that is not always true. There are things that
we do agree on. There are things that are important to this government
and important to our democracy. I think this is a great example of
people coming together on both sides to support an important tool that
can be used to ensure our elections have the confidence of the American
people and make sure that candidates who seek office are providing the
kind of information necessary for transparency and accountability, as
my good friend from Wisconsin has said.
I thank the chairman and the members of the committee. It is a
privilege to be here, and I encourage all colleagues to support this
piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for speaking in support
of this important measure. By passing the bill today, we can ensure FEC
enforcement operations continue to run smoothly. I am urging my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join in supporting this
measure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, S. 2747.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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