[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7435-7437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2837]


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FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2009-04]


Price Index Increases for Contribution and Expenditure 
Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Notice of increases to contribution and expenditure limitations 
and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.

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SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971, as amended (``FECA'' or ``the Act''), the Federal Election 
Commission (``FEC'' or ``the Commission'') is adjusting certain 
contribution and expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling 
disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for 
inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information 
that follows.

DATES: Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the change in the dollar limits on 
contributions to candidates and candidates' authorized political 
committees is effective as of November 5, 2008. Under 2 U.S.C. 
434(i)(3), the change in the threshold amount for reporting bundled 
contributions is effective as of January 1, 2009. Under 2 U.S.C. 
441a(c), the changes in dollar limits on contributions to national 
political party committees, contributions by an individual, 
expenditures by party committees in connection with a general election 
for Federal office, and contributions to Senatorial candidates are 
effective as of January 1, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Greg J. Scott or Mr. Kevin R. 
Salley, 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\ and the Honest Leadership and Open Government 
Act of 2007,\2\ coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(3)(A), (B) and (d)), certain contribution limits (2 U.S.C. 
441a(a)(1)(A) and (B), (a)(3) and (h)), and the disclosure threshold 
for contributions bundled by lobbyists (2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A)) are 
adjusted periodically to reflect increases 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 the adjusted limits and disclosure threshold.
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    \1\ Public Law No. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002).
    \2\ Public Law No. 110-81, 121 Stat. 735 (Sep. 14, 2007).
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Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2009

    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 4.36663, 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

[[Page 7436]]

price index for the base period (calendar year 1974).

1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With 
More Than One Congressional District

    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 in States with more than one congressional district. 
This limitation also applies to those States that elect individuals to 
the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\3\ The formula used to 
calculate the expenditure limitation in such States multiplies the base 
figure of $10,000 by the price index (4.36663), rounding to the nearest 
$100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3)(B) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). Based upon this 
formula, the expenditure limitation for 2009 general elections for 
House candidates in these States is $43,700.
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    \3\ Currently, these States include the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of American 
Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern 
Mariana Islands. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml and http://about.dc.gov/statehood.asp.
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2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives 
in States With Only One Congressional District

    Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure 
limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or 
in the House of Representatives in States with only one congressional 
district. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation 
considers not only the price index but also the voting age population 
(``VAP'') of the state. The VAP of each state is published annually in 
the Federal Register by the Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The 
general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: The base 
figure ($20,000) multiplied by the price index, 4.36663 (which totals 
$87,300); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 
4.36663. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(3)(A) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). The chart below provides the state-
by-state breakdown of the 2009 general election expenditure limitations 
for Senate elections. The expenditure limit for 2009 House elections in 
states with only one congressional district \4\ is $87,300.
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    \4\ Currently, these States are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.

                         Senate General Election Expenditure Limitations--2009 Elections
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                                                                                                      Senate
                                                                                                    Expenditure
                                                                                    VAP x .02 x     Limit (the
                              State                                   VAP (in        the price    greater of the
                                                                    thousands)         index         amount in
                                                                                     (4.36663)      column 3 or
                                                                                                     $87,300)
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Alabama.........................................................           3,540        $309,200        $309,200
Alaska..........................................................             506          44,200          87,300
Arizona.........................................................           4,793         418,600         418,600
Arkansas........................................................           2,153         188,000         188,000
California......................................................          27,392       2,392,400       2,392,400
Colorado........................................................           3,732         326,000         326,000
Connecticut.....................................................           2,689         234,900         234,900
Delaware........................................................             667          58,300          87,300
Florida.........................................................          14,324       1,251,100       1,251,100
Georgia.........................................................           7,137         623,300         623,300
Hawaii..........................................................           1,003          87,600          87,600
Idaho...........................................................           1,111          97,000          97,000
Illinois........................................................           9,722         849,100         849,100
Indiana.........................................................           4,792         418,500         418,500
Iowa............................................................           2,290         200,000         200,000
Kansas..........................................................           2,102         183,600         183,600
Kentucky........................................................           3,261         284,800         284,800
Louisiana.......................................................           3,303         288,500         288,500
Maine...........................................................           1,042          91,000          91,000
Maryland........................................................           4,293         375,000         375,000
Massachusetts...................................................           5,071         442,900         442,900
Michigan........................................................           7,613         664,900         664,900
Minnesota.......................................................           3,966         346,400         346,400
Mississippi.....................................................           2,172         189,700         189,700
Missouri........................................................           4,490         392,200         392,200
Montana.........................................................             747          65,200          87,300
Nebraska........................................................           1,336         116,700         116,700
Nevada..........................................................           1,932         168,700         168,700
New Hampshire...................................................           1,023          89,300          89,300
New Jersey......................................................           6,635         579,500         579,500
New Mexico......................................................           1,482         129,400         129,400
New York........................................................          15,082       1,317,300       1,317,300
North Carolina..................................................           6,979         609,500         609,500
North Dakota....................................................             498          43,500          87,300
Ohio............................................................           8,756         764,700         764,700
Oklahoma........................................................           2,736         239,000         239,000
Oregon..........................................................           2,923         255,300         255,300
Pennsylvania....................................................           9,686         846,000         846,000
Rhode Island....................................................             822          71,800          87,300

[[Page 7437]]

 
South Carolina..................................................           3,414         298,200         298,200
South Dakota....................................................             606          52,900          87,300
Tennessee.......................................................           4,736         413,600         413,600
Texas...........................................................          17,601       1,537,300       1,537,300
Utah............................................................           1,887         164,800         164,800
Vermont.........................................................             492          43,000          87,300
Virginia........................................................           5,946         519,300         519,300
Washington......................................................           5,008         437,400         437,400
West Virginia...................................................           1,428         124,700         124,700
Wisconsin.......................................................           4,314         376,800         376,800
Wyoming.........................................................             404          35,300          87,300
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Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2009

    The Act, as amended by HLOGA, requires certain political committees 
to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and 
lobbyist/registrant political action committees once the contributions 
exceed a specified threshold amount. The Commission must adjust this 
threshold amount annually to account for inflation. The disclosure 
threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure 
threshold by 1.06797, the 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 2006). The resulting amount is 
rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. See 2 U.S.C. 434(i)(3)(A) and 
(B), 441a(c) and 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula ($15,000 x 
1.06797), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 
2009 is $16,000.

Contribution Limitation Increases for Individuals, Nonmulticandidate 
Committees and for Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. 
Senate Candidates for 2009-2010 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). 
See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c). These contribution limitations are increased by 
multiplying the respective statutory contribution amount by 1.21597, 
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 21.6 
percent. Contribution limitations shall be adjusted accordingly:

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                                                           2009-2010
       Statutory provision         Statutory amount       limitation
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2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)..........  $2,000............  $2,400.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B)..........  $25,000...........  $30,400.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A)..........  $37,500...........  $45,600.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B)..........  $57,500 (of which   $69,900 (of which
                                   no more than        no more than
                                   $37,500 may be      $45,600 may be
                                   attributable to     attributable to
                                   contributions to    contributions to
                                   political           political
                                   committees that     committees that
                                   are not political   are not political
                                   committees of       committees of
                                   national            national
                                   political           political
                                   parties).           parties).
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)................  $35,000...........  $42,600.
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    The increased limitation at 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) is to be in 
effect for the two-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 $2,400 figure 
above is in effect from November 5, 2008, to November 2, 2010. 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, 2009, to December 
31, 2010. See 11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).

    Dated: February 5, 2009.

    On behalf of the Commission,
Steven T. Walther,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. E9-2837 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P