I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 227

To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require that communications advocating the election or defeat of a candidate for election

for Federal office contain specific information regarding the sponsor

of the communication and whether or not the communication is authorized by the candidate involved.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 6, 1999

Mr. PRICE of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. HORN) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

A BILL

To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to

require that communications advocating the election or

defeat of a candidate for election for Federal office contain specific information regarding the sponsor of the

communication and whether or not the communication

is authorized by the candidate involved.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stand By Your Ad

5 Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. REQUIRING CAMPAIGN ADVERTISEMENTS TO IN2 CLUDE INFORMATION ON SPONSOR AND AU3 THORIZATION BY CANDIDATE.

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 318 of the Federal Elec5 tion Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441d) is amended—

6 (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub7 section (c); and

8 (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the follow9 ing new subsection:

10 ‘‘(b) A communication shall be considered to clearly

11 state information required under subsection (a) if it meets

12 the following requirements:

13 ‘‘(1) In the case of any printed communication,

14 if the information required to be stated under such

15 subsection constitutes not less than 10 percent of

16 the space of the communication (or, in the case of

17 a communication for which each copy consists of

18 multiple pages, folds, or faces, if the information

19 constitutes not less than 10 percent of the space of

20 any single page, fold, or face in each copy).

21 ‘‘(2) In the case of any televised communica22 tion, if the communication includes—

23 ‘‘(A) with respect to a communication de24 scribed in subsection (a)(1), an unobscured,

25 full-screen view of the candidate stating the fol26 lowing on camera: ‘I am (name of candidate),
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1 candidate for (name of office involved), and I

2 sponsored this advertisement.’, or an

3 unobscured, full-view photograph of the can4 didate, with such statement made by the can5 didate in voice over;

6 ‘‘(B) with respect to a communication de7 scribed in subsection (a)(2), an unobscured,

8 full-screen view of a representative of the per9 sons paying for the communication stating the

10 following on camera: ‘I am a representative of

11 (name of persons paying), who sponsored this

12 advertisement (in support of) (in opposition to)

13 (name of candidate involved) for (name of office

14 involved).’, or an unobscured, full-view photo15 graph of the representative, with such state16 ment made by the representative in voice over;

17 or

18 ‘‘(C) with respect to a communication de19 scribed in subsection (a)(3), an unobscured,

20 full-screen view of a representative of the per21 sons paying for the communication stating the

22 following on camera: ‘I am a representative of

23 (name of persons paying), who sponsored this

24 advertisement (in support of) (in opposition to)

25 (name of candidate involved) for (name of office
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1 involved). This advertisement was not author2 ized by any candidate.’, or an unobscured, full3 view photograph of the representative, with

4 such statement made by the representative in

5 voice over.

6 ‘‘(3) In the case of any communication broad7 cast over the radio, if the communication includes—

8 ‘‘(A) with respect to a communication de9 scribed in subsection (a)(1), a statement read

10 by the candidate as follows: ‘I am (name of can11 didate), candidate for (name of office involved),

12 and I sponsored this advertisement.’;

13 ‘‘(B) with respect to a communication de14 scribed in subsection (a)(2), a statement read

15 by a representative of the persons paying for

16 the communication as follows: ‘I am a rep17 resentative of (name of persons paying), who

18 sponsored this advertisement (in support of) (in

19 opposition to) (name of candidate involved) for

20 (name of office involved).’; or

21 ‘‘(C) with respect to a communication de22 scribed in subsection (a)(3), a statement read

23 by a representative of the persons paying for

24 the communication as follows: ‘I am a rep25 resentative of (name of persons paying), who
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1 sponsored this advertisement (in support of) (in

2 opposition to) (name of candidate involved) for

3 (name of office involved). This advertisement

4 was not authorized by any candidate.’.’’.

5 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by

6 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to communications

7 made on or after January 1, 2000.

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