Federal Election Campaign Act
| Federal Election Campaign Act | |
|---|---|
| Short Title | Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 |
| Official Text | Federal Election Campaign Act |
| Country/Jurisdiction | United States |
| State or Province | |
| Regulatory Bodies | United States Congress |
| Date Enacted | 1972/02/07 |
| Scope of the Law | Individuals |
| Information | |
| Taxonomy | Decisional Interference, Identification |
| Strategies | |
The Federal Election Campaign Act is an act that promotes fair practices in the conduct of election campaigns for Federal political offices, and for other purposes.
For 1974 amendments: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4163305-Federal-Election-Campaign-Act-1974-amendments.html
Text of the law
SEC. 103. (a) (1) Section 315(b) of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended to read as follows: Decisional Interference
"(b) The charges made for the use of any broadcasting station by
any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any public office in
connection with his campaign for nomination for election, or election,
to such office shall not exceed—
" (1) during the forty-five days preceding the date of a primary or primary runoff election and during the sixty days preceding the date of a general or special election in which such person is a candidate, the lowest unit charge of the station for the same class and amount of time for the same period; and
" (2) at any other time, the charges made for comparable use of such station by other users thereof."
(2) (A) Section 312(a) of such Act is amended by striking "or" at the end of clause (5), striking the period at the end of clause (6) and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon and "or", and adding at the end of such section 312(a) the following new paragraph:
"(7) for willful or repeated failure to allow reasonable access to or to permit purchase of reasonable amounts of time for the use of a broadcasting station by a legally qualified candidate for Federal elective office on behalf of his candidacy.".
(B) The second sentence of section 315(a) of such Act is amended by inserting "under this subsection" after "No obligation is imposed",
(b) To the extent that any person sells space in any newspaper or magazine to a legally qualified candidate for Federal elective office, or nomination thereto, in connection with such candidate's campaign for nomination for, or election to, such office, the charges made for the use of such space in connection with his campaign shall not exceed the charges made for comparable use of such space for other purposes.
SEC. 104. (a) (1) Subject to paragraph (4), no legally qualified candidate in an election (other than a primary or primary runoff election)
Federal elective office may—
(A) spend for the use of communications media on behalf of his candidacy in such election a total amount in excess of the greater of—
(i) 10 cents multiplied by the voting age population (as certified under paragraph (5)) of the geographical area in which the election for such office is held, or
(ii) $50,000, or
(B) spend for the use of broadcast stations on behalf of his candidacy in such election a total amount in excess of 60 per centum of the amount determined under subparagraph (A) with respect to such election.
(2) No legally qualified candidate in a primary election for nomination to a Federal elective office, other than President, may spend—
(A) for the use of communications media, or
(B) for the use of broadcast stations, on behalf of his candidacy in such election a total amount in excess of the amounts determined under paragraph (1) (A) or (B), respectively, with respect to the general election for such office. For purposes of this subsection a primary runoff election shall be treated as a separate primary election.
(3) (A) No person who is a candidate for presidential nomination may spend—
(i) for the use in a State of communications media, or
(ii) for the use in a State of broadcast stations, on behalf of his candidacy for presidential nomination a total amount in excess of the amounts which would have been determined under paragraph (1) (A) or (B), respectively, had he been a candidate for election for the office of Senator from such State (or for the office of Delegate or Kesident Commissioner in the case of the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Eico).
(B) For purposes of this paragraph (3), a person is a candidate for presidential nomination if he makes (or any other person makes on his behalf) an expenditure for the use of any communications medium on behalf of his candidacy for any political party's nomination for election to the office of President. He shall be considered to be such a candidate during the period—
(i) beginning on the date on which he (or such other person) first makes such an expenditure (or, if later, January 1 of the year in which the election for the office of President is held), and
(ii) ending on the date on which such political party nominates a candidate for the office of President. For purposes of this title and of section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934, a candidate for presidential nomination shall be considered a legally qualified candidate for public office.
(C) The Comptroller General shall prescribe regulations under which any expenditure by a candidate for presidential nomination for the use in two or more States of a communications medium shall be attributed to such candidate's expenditure limitation in each such State, based on the number of persons in such State who can reasonably be expected to be reached by such communications medium.
(4) (A) For purposes of subparagraph (B) :
(i) The term "price index" means the average over a calendar year of the Consumer Price Index (all items—United States city average) published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(ii) The term "base period" means the calendar year 1970.
(B) At the beginning of each calendar year (commencing in 1972), as there becomes available necessary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor, the Secretary of Labor shall certify to the Comptroller General and publish in the Federal Register the per centum difference between the price index for the 12 months preceding the beginning of such calendar year and the price index for the base period. Each amount determined under paragraph (1) (A) (i) and (ii) shall be increased by such per centum difference. Each amount so increased shall be the amount in effect for such calendar year".
(5) Within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every subsequent year, the Secretary of Commerce shall certify to the Comptroller General and publish in the Federal Register an estimate of the voting age population of each State and congressional district for the last calendar year ending before the date of certification.
(6) Amounts spent for the use of communications media on behalf of any legally qualified candidate for Federal elective office (or for nomination to such office) shall, for the purposes of this subsection, be deemed to have been spent by such candidate. Amounts spent for the use of communications media by or on behalf of any legally qualified candidate for the office of Vice President of the United States shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to have been spent by the candidate for the office of President of the United States with whom he is running.
(7) For purposes of this section and section 315(c) of the ComPost,
(A) spending and charges for the use of communications media include not only the direct charges of the media but also agents' commissions allowed the agent by the media, and
(B) any expenditure for the use of any communications medium by or on behalf of the candidacy of a candidate for Federal elective office (or nomination thereto) shall be charged against the expenditure limitation under this subsection applicable to the election in which such medium is used.
(b) No person may make any charge for the use by or on behalf of "any legally qualified candidate for Federal elective office (or for nomination to such office) of any newspaper, magazine, or outdoor advertising facility, unless such candidate (or a person specifically authorized by such candidate in writing to do so) certifies in writing to the person making such charge that the payment of such charge will not violate paragaph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a), whichever is applicable.
(c) Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (g) and by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsections:
" (c) No station licensee may make any charge for the use of such station by or on behalf of any legally qualified candidate for Federal elective office (or for nomination to such office) unless such candidate (or a person specifically authorized by such candidate in writing to do so) certifies to such licensee in writing that the payment of such charge will not violate any limitation specified in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 104(a) of the Campaign Communications Reform Act, whichever paragraph is applicable.
"(d) If a State by law and expressly—
"(1) has provided that a primary or other election for any office of such State or of a political subdivision thereof is subject to this subsection,
"(2) has specified a limitation upon total expenditures for the use of broadcasting stations on behalf of the candidacy of each legally qualified candidate in such election,
" (3) has provided in any such law an unequivocal expression of intent to be bound by the provisions of this subsection, and
"(4) has stipulated that the amount of such limitation shall not exceed the amount which would be determined for such election under section 104(a) (1) (B) or 104(a) (2) (B) (whichever is applicable) of the Campaign Communications Reform Act had such election been an election for a Federal elective office or nomination thereto; then no station licensee may make any charge for the use of such station by or on behalf of any legally qualified candidate in such election unless such candidate (or a person specifically authorized by such candidate in writing to do so) certifies to such licensee in writing that the payment of such charge will not violate such State limitation.
"(e) Whoever willfully and knowingly violates the provisions of Penalty. subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $5,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed five years, or both. The provisions of sections 501 through 503 of this Act shall not apply to violations of either such subsection.
" (f) (1) For the purposes of this section:
"(A) The term 'broadcasting station' includes a community antenna television system.
"(B) The terms 'licensee' and 'station licensee' when used with respect to a community antenna television system, means the operator of such system.
"(C) The term 'Federal elective office' means the office of President of the United States, or of Senator or Representative in, or Resident Commissioner or Delegate to, the Congress of the United States.
"(2) For purposes of subsections (c) and (d), the term 'legally qualified candidate' means any person who (A) meets the qualifications prescribed by the applicable laws to hold the office for which he is a candidate and (B) is eligible under applicable State law to be voted for by the electorate directly or by means of delegates or electors."
SEC. 303. (a) Each political committee which anticipates receiving contributions or making expenditures during the calendar year in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000 shall file with the supervisory officer a statement of organization, within ten days after its organization or, if later, ten days after the date on which it has information which causes the committee to anticipate it will receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $1,000. Each such committee in existence at the date of enactment of this Act shall file a statement of organization with the supervisory officer at such time as he prescribes.
(b) The statement of organization shall include— ^
(1) the name and address of the committee;
(2) the names, addresses, and relationships of affiliated or connected organizations;
(3) the area, scope, or jurisdiction of the committee;
(4) the name, address, and position of the custodian of books and accounts;
(5) the name, address, and position of other principal officers, including officers and members of the finance committee, if any; Identifying, Location, Professional "Personal#list" contains a listed "#" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.
(6) the name, address, office sought, and party affiliation of (A) each candidate whom the committee is supporting, and (B) any other individual, if any, w^hom the committee is supporting for noipination for election, or election, to any public office whatever; or, if the committee is supporting the entire ticket of any party, the name of the party;
(7) a statement whether the committee is a continuing one;
(8) the disposition of residual funds which will be made in the event of dissolution;
(9) a listing of all banks, safety deposit boxes, or other repositories used; Account "Personal#list" contains a listed "#" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.
(10) a statement of the reports required to be filed by the committee with State or local officers, and, if so, the names, addresses, and positions of such persons; and
(11) such other information as shall be required by the supervisory officer.
(c) Any change in information previously submitted in a statement of organization shall be reported to the supervisory officer within a ten-day period following the change.
(d) Any committee which, after having filed one or more statements of organization, disbands or determines it will no longer receive contributions or make expenditures during the calendar year in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000 shall so notify the supervisory officer. SEC. 304.
(b) Each repoi-t under this section shall disclose—
(1) the amount of cash on hand at the beginning of the reporting period;
(2) the full name and mailing address (occupation and the principal place of business, if any) of each person who has made one or more contributions to or for such committee or candidate (including the purchase of tickets for events such as dinners, luncheons, rallies, and similar fundraising events) within the calendar year in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $10!), together with the amount and date of such contributions;
(3) the total sum of individual contributions made to or for such committee or candidate during the reporting period and not reported under paragragh (2) ;
(4) the name and address of each political committee or candidate from which the reporting committee or the candidate received, or to which that committee or candidate made, any transfer of funds, together with the amounts and dates of all transfers;
(5) each loan to or from any person within the calendar year in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $100, together with the full names and mailing addresses (occupations and the principal places of business, if any) of the lender and endorsers, if any, and the date and amount of such loans;
(6) the total amount of proceeds from (A) the sale of tickets to each dinner, luncheon, rally, and other fundraising event; (B) mass collections made at such events; and (C) sales of items such as political campaign pins, buttons, badges, flags, emblems, hats, banners, literature, and similar materials;
(7) each contribution, rebate, refund, or other receipt in excess of $100 not otherwise listed under paragraphs (2) through (6);
(8) the total sum of all receipts by or for such committee or candidate during the reporting period;
(9) the full name and mailing address (occupation and the principal place of business, if any) of each person to whom expenditures have been made by such committee or on behalf of such committee or candidate within the calendar year in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $100, the amount, date, and pur pose of each such expenditure and the name and address of, and office sought by, each candidate on whose behalf such expenditure was made;
(10) the full name and mailing address (occupation and the principal place of business, if any) of each person to whom an expenditure for personal services, salaries, and reimbursed expenses in excess of $100 has been made, and which is not otherwise reported, including the amount, date, and purpose of such expenditure;
(11) the total sum of expenditures made by such committee or candidate during the calendar year;
(12) the amount and nature of debts and obligations owed by or to the committee, in such form as the supervisory officer may prescribe and a continuous reporting of their debts and obligations after the election at such periods as the supervisory officer may require until such debts and obligations are extinguished; and
(13) such other information as shall be required by the supervisory officer.
(c) The reports required to be filed hj subsection (a) shall be cumulative during the calendar year to which they relate, but where there has been no change in an item reported in a previous report during such year, only the amount need be carried forward. If no contributions or expenditures have been accepted or expended during a calendar year, the treasurer of the political committee or candidate shall file a statement to that effect.
SEC. 305. Every person (other than a political committee or candidate) who makes contributions or expenditures, other than by contribution to a political committee or candidate, in an aggregate amount in excess of $100 within a calendar year shall file with the supervisory officer a statement containing the information required by section 304. Statements rec^uired by this section shall be filed on the dates on which reports by political committees are filed, but need not be cumulative.
SEC. 306. (a) A report or statement required by this title to be filed by a treasurer of a political committee, a candidate, or by any other person, shall be verified by the oath or affirmation of the person filing such report or statement, taken before any officer authorized to administer oaths.
(b) A copy of a report or statement shall be preserved by the person filing it for a period of time to be designated by the supervisory officer in a published regulation.
(c) The supervisory officer may, by published regulation of general applicability, relieve any category of political committees of the obligation to comply with section 304 if such committee (1) primarily supports persons seeking State or local office, and does not substantially support candidates, and (2) does not operate in more than one State or on a statewide basis. ((J) The supervisory officer shall, by published regulations of general applicability, prescribe the manner in which contributions and expenditures in the nature of debts and other contracts, agreements, and promises to make contributions or expenditures shall be reported. Such regulations shall provide that they be reported in separate schedules. In determining aggregate amounts of contributions and expenditures, amounts reported as provided in such regulations shall not be considered until actual payment is made.
SEC 308. (a) It shall be the duty of the supervisory officer—
(1) to develop and furnish to the person required by the provisions of this Act prescribed forms for the making of the reports and statements required to be filed with him under this title;
(2) to prepare, publish, and furnish to the person required to file such reports and statements a manual setting forth recommended uniform methods of bookkeeping and reporting;
(3) to develop a filing, coding, and cross-indexing system consonant with the purposes of this title;
(4) to make the reports and statements filed with him available public inspection and copying, commencing as soon as practicable but not later than the end of the second day following the day during which it was received, and to permit copying of any such report or statement by hand or by duplicating machine, as - *' requested by any person, at the expense of such person: Provided^ That any information copied from such reports and statements shall not be sold or utilized by any person for the purpose of soliciting contributions or for any commercial purpose;
(5) to preserve such reports and statements for a period of ten years from date of receipt, except that reports and statements relating solely to candidates for the House of Representatives shall be preserved for only five years from the date of receipt;
(6) to compile and maintain a current list of all statements or parts of statements pertaining to each candidate;
(7) to prepare and publish an annual report including compilations of
(A) total reported contributions and expenditures for all candidates, political committees, and other persons during the year;
(B) total amounts expended according to such categories as he shall determine and broken down into candidate, party, and nonparty expenditures on the National, State, and local levels;
(C) total amounts expended for influencing nominations and elections stated separately;
(D) total amounts contributed according to such categories of amounts as he shall determine and broken down into contributions on the national, State, and local levels for candidates and political committees; and
(E) aggregate amounts contributed by any contributor shown to have contributed in excess of $100;
(8) to prepare and publish from time to time special reports Reports. comparing the various totals and categories of contributions and expenditures made with respect to preceding elections;
(9) to prepare and publish such other reports as he may deem appropriate;
(10) to assure wide dissemination of statistics, summaries, and reports prepared under this title;
(11) to make from time to time audits and field investigations o with respect to reports and statements filed under the provisions of this title, and with respect to alleged failures to file any report or statement required under the provisions of this title;
(12) to report apparent violations of law to the appropriate law enforcement authorities; and
(13) to prescribe suitable rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this title.
(b) The supervisory officer shall encourage, and cooperate with, the election officials in the several States to develop procedures which will eliminate the necessity of multiple filings by permitting the filing of copies of Federal reports to satisfy the State requirements.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Comptroller General to serve as a national clearinghouse for information in respect to the administration of elections. In carrying out his duties under this subsection, the Comptroller General shall enter into contracts for the purpose of conducting independent studies of the administration of elections. Such studies shall include, but shall not be limited to, studies of—
(1) the method of selection of, and the type of duties assigned to, officials and personnel working on boards of elections;
(2) practices relating to the registration of voters; and
(3) voting and counting methods. Studies made under this subsection shall be published by the Comptroller General and copies thereof shall be made available to the general public upon the payment of the cost thereof. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the Comptroller General to requii'e the inclusion of any comment or recommendation of the Comptroller General in any such study.
(d)(1) Any person who believes a violation of this title has occurred may file a complaint with the supervisory officer. If the supervisory officer determines there is substantial reason to believe such a violation has occurred, he shall expeditiously make an investigation, which shall also include an investigation of reports and statements filed by the complainant if he is a candidate, of the matter complained of. Whenever in the judgment of the supervisory officer, after affording due notice and an opportunity for a hearing, any person has engaged or is about to engage in any acts or practices which constitute or will constitute a violation of any provision of this title or any regulation or order issued thereunder, the Attorney General on behalf of the United States shall institute a civil action for relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or any other appropriate order in the district court of the United States for the district in which the person is found, resides, or transacts business. Upon a proper showing that such person has engaged or is about to engage in such acts or practices, a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order shall be granted without bond by such court.
(2) In any action brought under paragraph (1) of this subsection, subpenas for witnesses who are required to attend a United States district court may run into any other district.
(3) Any party aggrieved by an order granted under paragraph (1) of this subsection may, at any time within sixty days after the date of entry thereof, file a petition with the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which such person is found, resides, or transacts business, for judicial review of such order.
(4) The judgment of the court of appeals affirming or setting aside, in whole or in part, any such order of the district court shall be final, subject to review by the Supreme Court of the LTnited States upon certiorari or certification as provided in section 1254 of title 28, United States Code.
(5) Any action brought under this subsection shall be advanced on the docket of the court in which filed, and put ahead of all other actions (other than other actions brought under this subsection).
SEC. 310. No person shall make a contribution in the name of another person, and no person shall knowingly accept a contribution made by one person in the name of another person. Identification, Decisional Interference
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