National Voter Opportunity To Inform Congress Effectively on a Flat Tax and a Cap on Tax Increases Act of 1997 (National VOICE on a Flat Tax and Cap on Tax Increases Act of 1997)

Summary: National Voter Opportunity To Inform Congress Effectively on a Flat Tax and a Cap on Tax Increases Act of 1997 (National VOICE on a Flat Tax and Cap on Tax Increases Act of 1997) - Places on the 1998 general election ballot in each congressional district the advisory questions of whether the Congress should:  (1) adopt a simple flat tax rate on income; and (2) approve a constitutional amendment to require a majority vote of the American people to raise taxes.  Provides for cost reimbursement to the States from the franking accounts of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Voter Opportunity To Inform 
Congress Effectively on a Flat Tax and a Cap on Tax Increases Act of 
1997 (National VOICE on a Flat Tax and Cap on Tax Increases Act of 
1997)''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (1) the right of citizens of the United States to vote is a 
        fundamental right;
            (2) the right of citizens of the United States to have an 
        effective voice in the decisionmaking processes of the Congress 
        is grounded in the right to petition and is a fundamental part 
        of American democracy, and Congress should provide an 
        opportunity for citizens to express their views on important 
        public issues; and
            (3) there is an increasing public sentiment and demand for 
        less taxation and a simplified tax code.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to give the citizens of every State the opportunity to 
        have a voice on whether or not Congress should adopt a flat 
        income tax system and amend the Constitution to require a 
        majority vote of the American people to raise taxes; and
            (2) to conduct a national nonbinding referendum on a flat 
        tax on income and requiring a national vote on tax increases at 
        the 1998 general election, thereby having an opportunity to 
        study the feasibility of conducting national nonbinding 
        referenda on other important issues in the future.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``nonbinding referendum'' means the placing on 
        the general election ballot in every congressional district and 
        delegate or resident commissioner district in 1998 the advisory 
        questions defined below, the results of which shall be properly 
        tabulated and certified as described herein, but which results 
        shall not be legally binding on any person or institution;
            (2) the term ``advisory questions'' means the National 
        Advisory Referendum on a flat tax on income and requiring a 
        national vote on tax increases, the language of which is 
        contained in section 4(b) of this Act;
            (3) the term ``general election'' means the election at 
        which Federal officers are elected in 1998; and
            (4) the term ``State election agency'' means the official 
        agency of each State and territory charged with the legal 
        responsibility for conducting general elections within that 
        jurisdiction.

SEC. 4. PROCEDURES FOR NATIONAL VOTER OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM CONGRESS 
              EFFECTIVELY ON A FLAT TAX AND REQUIRING A NATIONAL VOTE 
              ON TAX INCREASES NONBINDING REFERENDUM.

    (a) In General.--This Act shall have the effect of placing on the 
1998 general election ballot in every congressional district, and 
delegate and/or resident commissioner district, in the United States, 
the District of Columbia and the territories of the United States, the 
advisory questions under subsection (b).
    (b) Advisory Questions; Ballot Title and Language.--Not later than 
June 30, 1998, the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives 
and the Secretary of the United States Senate shall jointly certify to 
the appropriate State election agencies for inclusion on the 1998 
general election ballot in each congressional district, the following 
ballot title and questions:

``national advisory referendum on a flat tax on income and requiring a 
                     national vote on tax increases

    ``Question #1: Should Congress adopt a simple flat tax rate on 
income?
          ``Yes                No.
    ``Question #2: Should Congress approve a constitutional amendment 
to require a majority vote of the American people to raise taxes?
          ``Yes                No''.
    (c) Preparation of Ballots.--
            (1) Procedures.--The procedures for printing and 
        preparation of the ballots containing the advisory questions 
        shall be the same as provided in each State and territory for 
        conducting the elections of the Members of the United States 
        House of Representatives and Senators, and Delegates or 
        Resident Commissioners.
            (2) Advisory questions.--In each congressional and delegate 
        district, every general election ballot shall include the 
        advisory questions contained in subsection (b). Should there be 
        no general election scheduled to be held in any particular 
        congressional or delegate district, a ballot shall nonetheless 
        be prepared for the voters of said district to be able to 
        participate in the nonbinding referendum in the same manner as 
        all other districts where a general election is being held. 
        States shall be reimbursed at 4 cents per voter, or an 
        estimated $5,000,000 for the costs incurred in placing the 
        questions in subsection (b) on the ballots in November 1998. 
        Therefore, this bill authorizes $5,000,000 for these purposes. 
        All reimbursements to State election agencies for the costs of 
        conducting the nonbinding referendum shall be made from the 
        franking accounts of the Congress, with equal amounts drawn 
        from the franking accounts of the House of Representatives and 
        the Senate in proportion to the total funds appropriated to 
        each House for franking, to reimburse the States for such 
        expenses. The Clerk of the United States House of 
        Representatives and the Secretary of the United States Senate 
        shall be responsible for ensuring the proper application for 
        and reimbursement of said expenses.
    (d) Tabulation and Certification of Voting Results.--The State 
election agencies shall tabulate the results of the voting on the 
advisory questions in the same manner as is customary for tabulating 
the results of elections of the Members of the United States House of 
Representatives and Senators. Said results shall be officially 
certified pursuant to the customary laws and procedures of each 
jurisdiction.
    (e) Transmission of Certified Results to the Congress, All Members, 
and Committees on the Judiciary.--The official, certified election 
results of each jurisdiction's nonbinding referenda on the advisory 
questions shall be certified by the State election agency to the Clerk 
of the United States House of Representatives and the Secretary of the 
United States Senate in the same manner and at the same time of the 
certification of election of Members of the House of Representatives 
and Senate at the 1998 general election, said results to be certified 
by county, congressional district and statewide totals. The Clerk and 
the Secretary shall be responsible for transmitting to each Member of 
the respective House of Congress the results of the nonbinding 
referenda from all jurisdictions. The results shall also be taken under 
advisement by the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate, with 
recommendations for response reported back to the full House and Senate 
within 6 months of the general election.
    (f) Comments Regarding Procedures for Future Nonbinding 
Referenda.--Within 90 days of the date of the general election, the 
State election agencies shall forward to the Clerk of the United States 
House of Representatives and the Secretary of the United States Senate 
their comments or suggestions regarding changes or improvements in 
procedures for conducting national nonbinding referenda in future 
general elections. All such comments shall be referred to the 
respective committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives 
and Senate.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act.