II 

Calendar No. 173 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1751 

To prohibit the Federal Government from awarding contracts, grants, or 

other agreements to, providing any other Federal funds to, or engaging 

in activities that promote the Association of Community Organizations 

for Reform Now or any other entity which has been indicted for or 

convicted of violations of laws governing election administration or campaign financing. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 5, 2009 

Mr. JOHANNS (for himself and Mr. NELSON of Nebraska) introduced the 

following bill; which was read the first time 

OCTOBER 6, 2009 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 

A BILL 

To prohibit the Federal Government from awarding contracts, grants, or other agreements to, providing any 

other Federal funds to, or engaging in activities that 

promote the Association of Community Organizations for 

Reform Now or any other entity which has been indicted 

for or convicted of violations of laws governing election 

administration or campaign financing. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1751 PCS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Taxpayers 

3 From ACORN Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PROHIBITIONS ON FEDERAL FUNDS AND OTHER 

5 ACTIVITIES WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN IN6 DICTED ORGANIZATIONS. 

7 (a) PROHIBITIONS.—With respect to any covered or8 ganization, the following prohibitions apply: 

9 (1) No Federal contract, grant, cooperative 

10 agreement, or any other form of agreement (includ11 ing a memorandum of understanding) may be 

12 awarded to or entered into with the organization. 

13 (2) No Federal funds in any other form may be 

14 directly or indirectly provided to the organization, 

15 including through any State, any political subdivi16 sion of a State, or any other recipient of Federal 

17 funds. 

18 (3) No Federal employee or contractor may 

19 promote in any way (including recommending to a 

20 person or referring to a person for any purpose) the 

21 organization. 

22 (b) COVERED ORGANIZATION.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term 

24 ‘‘covered organization’’ means— 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1751 PCS

1 (A) the Association of Community Organi2 zations for Reform Now (in this subsection re3 ferred to as ‘‘ACORN’’); 

4 (B) any ACORN-related affiliate; and 

5 (C) any organization which has a pending 

6 indictment for or has been convicted of a viola7 tion under Federal or State law governing— 

8 (i) the financing of a campaign for an 

9 election for public office; or 

10 (ii) the administration of an election 

11 for public office, including voter registra12 tion. 

13 (2) ACORN-RELATED AFFILIATE.—The term 

14 ‘‘ACORN-related affiliate’’ means any of the fol15 lowing: 

16 (A) Any State chapter of ACORN reg17 istered with the Secretary of State’s office in 

18 that State. 

19 (B) Any organization that shares directors 

20 or employees with ACORN. 

21 (C) Any organization that has a financial 

22 stake in ACORN. 

23 (D) Any organization whose finances, 

24 whether Federally funded, donor-funded, or 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1751 PCS

1 raised through organizational goods and serv2 ices, are shared or controlled by ACORN. 

3 (c) REVISION OF FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULA4 TION.—The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall 

5 amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to carry out the 

6 provisions of this Act relating to contracts. 

7 (d) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days after 

8 the date of the enactment of this Act, and April 1 of each 

9 year thereafter, the Comptroller General shall submit a 

10 report to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 

11 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 

12 Representatives identifying covered organizations to which 

13 this section applies. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS

wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 173 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1751 

A BILL 

To prohibit the Federal Government from awarding 

ministration or campaign financing. victed of violations of laws governing election adother entity which has been indicted for or conmunity Organizations for Reform Now or any activities that promote the Association of Comviding any other Federal funds to, or engaging in contracts, grants, or other agreements to, proOCTOBER 6, 2009 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with BILLS