Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997

Summary: Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to provide for:  (1) intermediaries and conduits to report on bundled contributions in the same time and manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of the candidate; (2) certain communications to be treated as independent expenditures; and (3) mandatory electronic filing for persons reporting contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount exceeding a threshold established by the Federal Election Commission. 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Commission to require each political committee filing a report to include with the report a filing fee when the amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report exceeds a threshold established by the Commission. 
Revises the standard for referral of certain violations to the Attorney General. 
Requires the Commission to conduct random audits of the reports of political committees. 
(Sec. 4) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for reduced broadcast media rates for candidates. 
(Sec. 5) Amends FECA to set forth restrictions on the use of non-Federal funds. 
(Sec. 6) Revises requirements for the composition of the Commission and terms of Commissioners and replaces them with new requirements, including one that Commissioners serve no more than a single term.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Public Voice Campaign Finance Reform 
Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROMOTING DISCLOSURE OF CAMPAIGN SPENDING.

    (a) Requiring Intermediaries and Conduits To Report on Bundled 
Contributions.--Section 315(a)(8) of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(8)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(8)'' and inserting ``(8)(A)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
    ``(B) Any person acting as an intermediary or conduit for the 
collection or delivery of contributions on behalf of a candidate shall 
file reports with the Commission (at the same time and in the same 
manner as a political committee which is not an authorized committee of 
a candidate is required to file reports under section 304(a)(4)) on the 
contributions collected or delivered and on related activities 
conducted on the candidate's behalf.''.
    (b) Treatment of Certain Communications as Independent Expenditures 
for Reporting Purposes.--Section 301(17) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431(17)) 
is amended by striking ``identified candidate'' and inserting the 
following: ``identified candidate, or any payment for any communication 
made during the 90-day period ending on the date of an election which 
includes the name or likeness of a candidate,''.
    (c) Mandatory Electronic Filing for Persons Meeting Certain 
Threshold.--Section 304(a)(11)(A) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)(A)) 
is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting the 
following: ``, except that in the case of any person reporting an 
amount of contributions, expenditures, or disbursements in an amount 
exceeding a threshold established by the Commission, the person shall 
file all reports required under this Act by such electronic means, 
format, or method.''.

SEC. 3. ENHANCING ENFORCEMENT ABILITIES OF FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.

    (a) Permitting FEC To Impose Filing Fee for Reports.--Section 307 
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437d) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f)(1) The Commission shall require each political committee 
filing a report under this title to include with the report a payment 
(in an amount established by the Commission) if the amount of 
contributions, expenditures, or disbursements covered by the report 
exceeds a threshold established by the Commission.
    ``(2) In establishing the amount of payment required to be included 
with a report under paragraph (1), the Commission shall take into 
account the costs to the Commission which are associated with the 
submission of reports under this title.
    ``(3) The Commission may waive the application of paragraph (1) 
with respect to a political committee if the Commission determines that 
the payment required would result in a financial hardship to the 
committee.
    ``(4) The Commission may charge a nominal fee for the distribution 
of documents to the public.
    ``(5) The amount appropriated to the Commission for a fiscal year 
pursuant to the authorization under section 314 may not be adjusted to 
take into account any amounts anticipated to be received by the 
Commission during the year pursuant to this subsection.''.
    (b) Revised Standard for Referral of Certain Violations to Attorney 
General.--Section 309(a)(5)(C) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(5)(C)) is 
amended by striking ``by an affirmative vote of 4 of its members, 
determined that there is probable cause to believe'' and inserting 
``believes''.
    (c) Permitting Random Audits.--Section 311(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
438(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(b)'' and inserting ``(b)(1)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Commission shall conduct 
random audits of the reports of political committees during the 1-year 
period which begins on the date of a general election, in accordance 
with such criteria as the Commission may establish.''.

SEC. 4. REDUCED BROADCAST RATES FOR CANDIDATES.

    (a) In General.--Section 315(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 315(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``the lowest unit 
charge'' and inserting ``the applicable percentage of the lowest unit 
charge''.
    (b) Applicable Percentage Defined.--Section 315(c) of such Act (47 
U.S.C. 315(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) the term `applicable percentage' means--
                    ``(A) 70 percent, in the case of a small broadcast 
                station (as determined by the Commission in accordance 
                with ratings, market area analysis, and such other 
                criteria as the Commission may establish), or
                    ``(B) 50 percent, in the case of any other 
                candidate and any other broadcast station.''.

SEC. 5. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.

    Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

               ``restrictions on use of non-federal funds

    ``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), 
no funds which are not subject to the limitations and prohibitions of 
this Act may be expended or disbursed by any person for any activity 
which significantly affects an election for Federal office or which 
promotes or identifies (in whole or in part) any candidate for election 
for Federal office, including any get-out-the-vote drive which 
identifies or targets supporters of a candidate for election for 
Federal office, or any voter registration drive or development or 
maintenance of voter files which occurs during an even-numbered year.
    ``(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to 
any of the following activities:
            ``(1) The construction, maintenance, or operation of 
        buildings or broadcast facilities for political parties.
            ``(2) State or local political party conventions.
            ``(3) State or local political party administration.
            ``(4) Generic campaign activity to promote a political 
        party.
            ``(5) Any activity which would be described in clause (i), 
        (iii), or (v) of section 301(9)(B) if payment for the activity 
        were an expenditure under such section.''.

SEC. 6. APPOINTMENT AND SERVICE OF MEMBERS OF FEDERAL ELECTION 
              COMMISSION.

    (a) Appointment of Additional, Independent Commissioner.--
            (1) In general.--Section 306(a)(1) of the Federal Election 
        Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``(a)(1)'' and inserting 
                ``(a)(1)(A)'';
                    (B) in the first sentence, by striking ``6 members 
                appointed by the President,'' and inserting the 
                following: ``7 members appointed by the President, of 
                whom one shall be a political independent nominated for 
                appointment by the other members serving on the 
                Commission,''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
    ``(B) In subparagraph (A), the term `political independent' means 
an individual who at no time after January 1992--
            ``(i) has held elective office as a member of the 
        Democratic or Republican party;
            ``(ii) has received any wages or salary from the Democratic 
        or Republican party or from a Democratic or Republican party 
        office-holder or candidate; or
            ``(iii) has provided substantial volunteer services or made 
        any substantial contribution to the Democratic or Republican 
        party or to a Democratic or Republican party office-holder or 
        candidate.''.
            (2) Deadline for initial appointment.--The members of the 
        Federal Election Commission shall provide the President with a 
        nominee for appointment to the Commission under section 
        306(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as 
        amended by paragraph (1)) not later than 90 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Limiting Commissioners to Single Term.--Section 306(a)(2)(A) of 
such Act (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ``terms'' and 
inserting ``a single term''.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring after January 1999.