Federal Election Campaign Reform Act of 1997

Summary: Federal Election Campaign Reform Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to lower the monetary threshold requirements with respect to:  (1) political committee contribution and expenditure recordkeeping and reporting; and (2) independent expenditure reporting. 
Subjects payments by national and State political party committees for mixed political activities (soft money) to account and expenditure limitation and reporting requirements. 
Provides for limitation indexing. 
Prohibits contributions by noncitizens. 
Revises the definition of "independent expenditure" for disclosure purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Election Campaign Reform Act 
of 1997''.

SEC. 2. PROMOTING DISCLOSURE OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND 
              EXPENDITURES.

    (a) Lowering Threshold for Reporting.--
            (1) Responsibilities of political committees.--Section 
        302(c) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
        432(c)) is amended by striking ``$200'' each place it appears 
        in paragraphs (3) and (5) and inserting ``$20''.
            (2) Contents of reports.--Section 304(b) of such Act (2 
        U.S.C. 434(b)) is amended as follows:
                    (A) In paragraph (3), by striking ``$200'' each 
                place it appears in subparagraphs (A), (F), and (G) and 
                inserting ``$20''.
                    (B) In paragraph (5)(A), by striking ``$200'' and 
                inserting ``$20''.
                    (C) In paragraph (6), by striking ``$200'' each 
                place it appears in subparagraphs (A), (B)(iii), and 
                (B)(v) and inserting ``$20''.
            (3) Reports on independent expenditures.--Section 304(c) of 
        such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(c)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$250'' and 
                inserting ``$20''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ``$200'' and 
                inserting ``$20''.
    (b) Increase Penalty for Violation of Disclosure Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Section 309(a) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 
        437g(a)) is amended by inserting after ``$5,000'' each place it 
        appears in paragraphs (5)(A), (6)(A), and (6)(B) the following: 
        ``(or $10,000 in the case of a violation of any provision 
        relating to the reporting of contributions or expenditures)''.
            (2) Knowing and willful violations.--Section 309(a) of such 
        Act (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)) is amended by inserting after 
        ``$10,000'' each place it appears in paragraphs (5)(B) and 
        (6)(C) the following: ``(or $20,000 in the case of a violation 
        of any provision relating to the reporting of contributions or 
        expenditures)''.

SEC. 3. BAN ON SOFT MONEY.

    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:

  ``limitations and reporting requirements for amounts paid for mixed 
                          political activities

    ``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Any payment by the national committee 
of a political party or a State committee of a political party for a 
mixed political activity--
            ``(1) shall be subject to limitation and reporting under 
        this Act as if such payment were an expenditure; and
            ``(2) may be paid only from an account that is subject to 
        the requirements of this Act.
    ``(b) Mixed Political Activity Defined.--As used in this section, 
the term `mixed political activity' means, with respect to a payment by 
the national committee of a political party or a State committee of a 
political party, an activity (such as a voter registration program, a 
get-out-the-vote drive, or general political advertising) that is both 
for the purpose of influencing an election for Federal office and for 
any purpose unrelated to influencing an election for Federal office.''.

SEC. 4. TREATMENT OF LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS.

    (a) Reduction in Amount of Limitation on Contributions by PACs.--
Section 315(a)(2) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 441a(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$5,000'' each place it appears in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (C) and inserting ``$4,000''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$15,000'' and 
        inserting ``$12,000''.
    (b) Indexing of Amounts.--Section 315(c) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(c)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph:
    ``(3)(A) The amount of each limitation established under subsection 
(a) shall be adjusted as follows:
            ``(i) For calendar year 1999, each such amount shall be 
        equal to the amount described in such subsection, increased (in 
        a compounded manner) by the percentage increase in the price 
        index (as defined in subsection (c)(2)) for 1997 and 1998.
            ``(ii) For calendar year 2001 and each second subsequent 
        year, each such amount shall be equal to the amount for the 
        second previous year (as adjusted under this subparagraph), 
        increased (in a compounded manner) by the percentage increase 
        in the price index for the previous year and the second 
        previous year.
    ``(B) In the case of any amount adjusted under this subparagraph 
which is not a multiple of $500, the amount shall be rounded to the 
nearest highest multiple of $500.''.

SEC. 5. PROHIBITING CONTRIBUTIONS BY NONCITIZENS.

    Section 319(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 441e(b)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) In this section, the term `foreign national' means--
            ``(1) in the case of an individual, an individual who is 
        not a citizen of the United States; or
            ``(2) in the case of any other person, a person who makes a 
        contribution any portion of which is attributable to funds of 
        individuals who are not citizens of the United States.''.

SEC. 6. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN EXPENDITURES AS INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES 
              FOR PURPOSES OF DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 301(17) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 431(17)) is amended by inserting after ``clearly identified 
candidate'' the following: ``(together with, in the case of an 
expenditure made during the 120-day period ending on the date of an 
election, any expenditure made with respect to any written or broadcast 
material which includes the name or likeness of a candidate in that 
election)''.

SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
elections occurring after 1996.