[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 23 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5294-5296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1755]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2007-2]


Price Index Increases for Expenditure and Contribution 
Limitations

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Notice of expenditure and contribution limitation increases.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform 
Act of 2002 (``BCRA''), the Federal Election Commission (``FEC'' or 
``the Commission'') is adjusting certain expenditure and contribution 
limitations set forth in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as 
amended (``FECA'' or ``the Act''), to account for increases in the 
consumer price index. Additional details appear in the supplemental 
information that follows.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The effective date for the limit at 2 U.S.C. 
441a(a)(1)(A) is November 8, 2006. The effective date for the limits at 
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3), 441a(d) and 441a(h) is January 1, 
2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gregory J. Scott, Information 
Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or 
(800) 424-9530.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign 
Reform Act of 2002, \1\ coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(3)(A) and (B)), and certain contribution limits (2 U.S.C. 
441a(a)(1)(A) and (B), (a)(3), (d) and (h)), are adjusted either 
annually or biennially by the increase in the consumer price index. See 
2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1) and 11 CFR 110.17. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to announce these limits for 2007 or the 2007-2008 election 
cycle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Public Law 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2007

    Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure 
limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) (the limits on expenditures 
by national party committees, state party committees, or their 
subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign 
of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation. 
This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference 
between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the 
Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the 
calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 
1974).

1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives

    Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure 
limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House 
of Representatives. The formula used to calculate the expenditure 
limitation in a state with more than one congressional district 
multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the price index (4.089), 
rounding to the nearest $100. Based upon this formula, the expenditure 
limitation for 2007 House elections in those states is $40,900. The 
formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in a state with 
only one congressional district is the greater of: the base figure 
($20,000) multiplied by the price index (4.089) (which totals $81,800); 
or $0.02 multiplied by the voting age population (``VAP'') of the 
state, multiplied by the price index. Amounts are rounded to the 
nearest $100. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 
2007 House elections in these states is $81,800. See 2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(3) and 11 CFR 109.32(b).

2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate

    Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure 
limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate. 
The formula used to calculate the Senate expenditure limitation 
considers not only the price index but also the VAP of the state. The 
expenditure limitation is the greater of: the base figure ($20,000) 
multiplied by the price index (which totals $81,800); or $0.02 
multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by the price index. 
Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3) and 11 
CFR 109.32(b). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of 
the 2007 expenditure limitations for Senate elections.

                                 Senate Expenditure Limitations--2007 Elections
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   Expenditure
                                                                                  VAP x .02        limit (the
                           State                                 VAP (in        multiplied by    greater of the
                                                               thousands)      the price index  amount in column
                                                                                   (4.089)        3 or $81,800)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama...................................................             3,485          $285,000          $285,000
Alaska....................................................               489            40,000            81,800
Arizona...................................................             4,538           371,100           371,100
Arkansas..................................................             2,120           173,400           173,400
California................................................            26,925         2,201,900         2,201,900
Colorado..................................................             3,584           293,100           293,100
Connecticut...............................................             2,687           219,700           219,700
Delaware..................................................               650            53,200            81,800
Florida...................................................            14,068         1,150,500         1,150,500
Georgia...................................................             6,909           565,000           565,000
Hawaii....................................................               987            80,700            81,800
Idaho.....................................................             1,072            87,700            87,700
Illinois..................................................             9,617           786,500           786,500
Indiana...................................................             4,736           387,300           387,300
Iowa......................................................             2,272           185,800           185,800
Kansas....................................................             2,068           169,100           169,100

[[Page 5295]]

 
Kentucky..................................................             3,207           262,300           262,300
Louisiana.................................................             3,198           261,500           261,500
Maine.....................................................             1,041            85,100            85,100
Maryland..................................................             4,255           348,000           348,000
Massachusetts.............................................             4,988           407,900           407,900
Michigan..................................................             7,617           622,900           622,900
Minnesota.................................................             3,910           319,800           319,800
Mississippi...............................................             2,151           175,900           175,900
Missouri..................................................             4,426           362,000           362,000
Montana...................................................               727            59,500            81,800
Nebraska..................................................             1,323           108,200           108,200
Nevada....................................................             1,861           152,200           152,200
New Hampshire.............................................             1,017            83,200            83,200
New Jersey................................................             6,635           542,600           542,600
New Mexico................................................             1,446           118,300           118,300
New York..................................................            14,792         1,209,700         1,209,700
North Carolina............................................             6,701           548,000           548,000
North Dakota..............................................               491            40,200            81,800
Ohio......................................................             8,708           712,100           712,100
Oklahoma..................................................             2,685           219,600           219,600
Oregon....................................................             2,844           232,600           232,600
Pennsylvania..............................................             9,636           788,000           788,000
Rhode Island..............................................               830            67,900            81,800
South Carolina............................................             3,282           268,400           268,400
South Dakota..............................................               587            48,000            81,800
Tennessee.................................................             4,596           375,900           375,900
Texas.....................................................            17,014         1,391,400         1,391,400
Utah......................................................             1,759           143,900           143,900
Vermont...................................................               491            40,200            81,800
Virginia..................................................             5,836           477,300           477,300
Washington................................................             4,870           398,300           398,300
West Virginia.............................................             1,429           116,900           116,900
Wisconsin.................................................             4,244           347,100           347,100
Wyoming...................................................               393            32,100            81,800
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contribution Limitation Increases for Individuals, Nonmulticandidate 
Committees and for Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. 
Senate Candidates for 2007-2008 Election Cycle

    BCRA amended the Act to extend inflation indexing to: (1) The 
limitations on contributions made by persons under 2 U.S.C. 
441a(a)(1)(A) (contributions to candidates) and 441a(a)(1)(B) 
(contributions to national party committees); (2) the biennial 
aggregate contribution limits applicable to individuals under 2 U.S.C. 
441a(a)(3); and (3) the limitation on contributions made to U.S. Senate 
candidates by certain political party committees at 2 U.S.C. 441a(h) 
and 2 U.S.C. 441a(c). These contribution limitations are increased by 
multiplying the respective statutory contribution amount by the percent 
difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by 
the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of 
the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar 
year 2001). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of 
$100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c) and 11 CFR 110.17(b). The Commission has 
calculated the applicable percent difference to be 13.9 percent. 
Contribution limitations shall be adjusted accordingly:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Statutory         2007-2008
         Statutory provision               amount          limitation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)..............            $2,000            $2,300
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B)..............            25,000            28,500
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A)..............            37,500            42,700
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B)..............            57,500            65,500
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)....................            35,000            39,900
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The increased limitation at 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) is to be in 
effect for the 2 year period beginning on the first day following the 
date of the general election in the preceding year and ending on the 
date of the next regularly scheduled election. Thus the $2,300 figure 
above is in effect from November 8, 2006, to November 4, 2008. The 
limitations under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3)(A) and (B), and 
441a(h), shall be in effect beginning January 1st of the odd-numbered 
year and ending on December 31st of the next even-numbered year. Thus 
the new contribution limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B), 441a(a)(3)(A) 
and (B), and 441a(h) are in effect from January 1,

[[Page 5296]]

2007, to December 31, 2008. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).

    Dated: January 29, 2007.
Robert D. Lenhard,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. E7-1755 Filed 2-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P