[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 31 (Thursday, February 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8696-8698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-695]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

[Notice 2008-4]


Price Index Increases for Expenditure Limitations

AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.

ACTION: Notice of expenditure limitation increases.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform 
Act of 2002 (``BCRA''), the Federal Election Commission (``FEC'' or 
``the Commission'') is adjusting certain expenditure limitations set 
forth in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended 
(``FECA'' or ``the Act''), to account for increases in the consumer 
price index. Additional details appear in the supplemental information 
that follows.

Effective Date:  January 1, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kevin R. Salley, Information 
Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or 
(800) 424-9530.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign 
Reform Act of 2002 \1\, coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(2), (3)(A) and (B)) are adjusted annually by the increase in 
the consumer price index. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1), 11 CFR 109.32 and 11 
CFR 110.17. The Commission is publishing this notice to announce these 
limits for 2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Public Law No. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2008

    Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure 
limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(d) (the limits on expenditures 
by national party committees, state party committees, or their 
subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign 
of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation. 
This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference 
between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the 
Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the 
calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 
1974).

1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States with 
More Than One Congressional District.

    Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure 
limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House 
of Representatives in States with more than one congressional district. 
This limitation also applies to those States that elect individuals to 
the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\2\ The formula used to 
calculate the expenditure limitation in such States multiplies the base 
figure of $10,000 by the price index (4.205), rounding to the nearest 
$100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3)(B) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). Based upon this 
formula, the expenditure limitation for 2008 general elections for 
House candidates in these States is $42,100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Currently, these States include the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of American 
Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml and http://about.dc.gov/statehood.asp.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 8697]]

2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives 
in States With Only One Congressional District

    Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure 
limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or 
in the House of Representatives in States with only one congressional 
district. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation 
considers not only the price index but also the voting age population 
(``VAP'') of the state. The VAP of each state is published annually in 
the Federal Register by the Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The 
general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: the base 
figure ($20,000) multiplied by the price index (which totals $84,100); 
or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by the price 
index. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(3)(A) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). The chart below provides the state-
by-state breakdown of the 2008 general election expenditure limitations 
for Senate elections. The expenditure limit for 2008 House elections in 
states with only one congressional district \3\ is $84,100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml.

                         Senate General Election Expenditure Limitations--2008 Elections
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Senate
                                                                                                   expenditure
                                                                VAP  (in       VAP x .02 x the     limit (the
                           State                               thousands)       price  index     greater of the
                                                                                   (4.205)      amount in column
                                                                                                  3 or $84,100)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama...................................................             3,504          $294,700          $294,700
Alaska....................................................               501            42,100            84,100
Arizona...................................................             4,669           392,700           392,700
Arkansas..................................................             2,134           179,500           179,500
California................................................            27,169         2,284,900         2,284,900
Colorado..................................................             3,669           308,600           308,600
Connecticut...............................................             2,682           225,600           225,600
Delaware..................................................               659            55,400            84,100
Florida...................................................            14,208         1,194,900         1,194,900
Georgia...................................................             7,013           589,800           589,800
Hawaii....................................................               998            83,900            84,100
Idaho.....................................................             1,092            91,800            91,800
Illinois..................................................             9,653           811,800           811,800
Indiana...................................................             4,759           400,200           400,200
Iowa......................................................             2,277           191,500           191,500
Kansas....................................................             2,080           174,900           174,900
Kentucky..................................................             3,238           272,300           272,300
Louisiana.................................................             3,214           270,300           270,300
Maine.....................................................             1,038            87,300            87,300
Maryland..................................................             4,260           358,300           358,300
Massachusetts.............................................             5,017           421,900           421,900
Michigan..................................................             7,625           641,300           641,300
Minnesota.................................................             3,937           331,100           331,100
Mississippi...............................................             2,150           180,800           180,800
Missouri..................................................             4,454           374,600           374,600
Montana...................................................               738            62,100            84,100
Nebraska..................................................             1,328           111,700           111,700
Nevada....................................................             1,905           160,200           160,200
New Hampshire.............................................             1,018            85,600            85,600
New Jersey................................................             6,622           556,900           556,900
New Mexico................................................             1,470           123,600           123,600
New York..................................................            14,884         1,251,700         1,251,700
North Carolina............................................             6,843           575,500           575,500
North Dakota..............................................               497            41,800            84,100
Ohio......................................................             8,715           732,900           732,900
Oklahoma..................................................             2,718           228,600           228,600
Oregon....................................................             2,885           242,600           242,600
Pennsylvania..............................................             9,646           811,200           811,200
Rhode Island..............................................               825            69,400            84,100
South Carolina............................................             3,348           281,600           281,600
South Dakota..............................................               599            50,400            84,100
Tennessee.................................................             4,685           394,000           394,000
Texas.....................................................            17,281         1,453,300         1,453,300
Utah......................................................             1,829           153,800           153,800
Vermont...................................................               490            41,200            84,100
Virginia..................................................             5,886           495,000           495,000
Washington................................................             4,932           414,800           414,800
West Virginia.............................................             1,425           119,800           119,800
Wisconsin.................................................             4,280           359,900           359,900
Wyoming...................................................               397            33,400            84,100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 8698]]

3. Expenditure Limitation for President

    The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for 
their general election nominee for President. The formula used to 
calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation considers not only 
the price index but also the total VAP of the United States. The 
Department of Commerce also publishes the total VAP of the United 
States annually in the Federal Register. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula 
used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by 
the total VAP of the United States (227,719,424), multiplied by the 
price index. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 
441a(d)(2) and 11 CFR 109.32(a). Based upon this formula, the 
expenditure limitation for 2008 Presidential nominees is $19,151,200.

Contribution Limitations for Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees 
and for Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate 
Candidates for the 2007-2008 Election Cycle

    For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also 
republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-
multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees 
giving to U.S. Senate candidates for the 2007-2008 election cycle:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Statutory provision                    Statutory amount                    2007-2008 limitation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)..............  $2,000..............................  $2,300.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B)..............  $25,000.............................  $28,500.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A)..............  $37,500.............................  $42,700.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B)..............  $57,500 (of which no more than        $65,500 (of which no more than
                                       $37,500 may be attributable to        $42,700 may be attributable to
                                       contributions to political            contributions to political
                                       committees that are not political     committees that are not political
                                       committees of national political      committees of national political
                                       parties).                             parties).
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)....................  $35,000.............................  $39,900.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: February 7, 2008.
David M. Mason,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 08-695 Filed 2-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P