II 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3488 

To protect freedom of speech in America’s electoral process and ensure 

transparency in campaign finance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 30, 2016 

Mr. CRUZ introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to 

the Committee on Rules and Administration 

A BILL 

To protect freedom of speech in America’s electoral process 

and ensure transparency in campaign finance. 

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 ‘‘SuperPAC Elimination 

5 Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS LIMI7 TATIONS. 

8 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to allow 

9 unlimited direct contributions by citizens and lawful perVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:49 Dec 01, 2016 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3488.IS S3488

rfrederick on DSK30MX082PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 3488 IS

1 manent residents of the United States to candidates in 

2 Federal elections. 

3 (b) ELIMINATION OF LIMITATIONS.—Section 315(a) 

4 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 

5 30116(a)) is amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

7 (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and re8 designating subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) as 

9 subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively; 

10 and 

11 (B) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated 

12 by subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘(other than 

13 a committee described in subparagraph (D))’’ 

14 and inserting ‘‘(other than an authorized polit15 ical committee of a candidate or a committee 

16 described in subparagraph (C))’’; 

17 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

18 (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and re19 designating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as sub20 paragraphs (A) and (B), respectively; and 

21 (B) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated 

22 by subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘(other than 

23 an authorized political committee of a can24 didate)’’ after ‘‘political committee’’; and 

25 (3) by striking paragraph (3). 


rfrederick on DSK30MX082PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 3488 IS

1 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

2 (1) Section 315(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 

3 30116(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (6). 

4 (2)(A) Section 315(c) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 

5 30116(c)) is amended— 

6 (i) by striking ‘‘(a)(1)(B), (a)(3),’’ in para7 graph (1)(B)(i); 

8 (ii) by striking ‘‘, (a)(1)(B), (a)(3),’’ in 

9 subparagraph (1)(C); and 

10 (iii) by striking ‘‘, (a)(1)(B), (a)(3),’’ in 

11 paragraph (2)(B)(ii). 

12 (B) Section 304(i)(3)(B) of such Act (52 

13 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘, 

14 (a)(1)(B), (a)(3),’’. 

15 (3) Section 323(e)(1)(B)(i) of such Act (52 

16 U.S.C. 30125(e)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking 

17 ‘‘contributions to candidates and political commit18 tees under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3)’’ and insert19 ing ‘‘contributions to political committees under 

20 paragraphs (1) and (2)’’. 

21 SEC. 3. 24-HOUR NOTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR ALL DI22 RECT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES. 

23 Section 304(a)(6)(A) of the Federal Election Cam24 paign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(6)(A)) is amended 

25 to read as follows: 


rfrederick on DSK30MX082PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 3488 IS

1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.— 

2 ‘‘(i) If a candidate receives an aggre3 gate amount of contributions in excess of 

4 $200 from any contributor during a cal5 endar year, the principal campaign com6 mittee of such candidate shall submit to 

7 the Secretary or the Commission, and the 

8 Secretary of State, as appropriate, in writ9 ing, a notification containing the name of 

10 the candidate and office sought by the can11 didate, the identification of the contrib12 utor, and the date of the receipt and 

13 amount of the contribution. 

14 ‘‘(ii) If, at any time after a candidate 

15 is required to submit a notification under 

16 this subparagraph with respect to a con17 tributor during a calendar year, the can18 didate receives additional contributions 

19 from that contributor during that year, the 

20 principal campaign committee of the can21 didate shall submit an additional notifica22 tion under clause (i) with respect to such 

23 contributor. 

24 ‘‘(iii) The principal campaign com25 mittee of the candidate shall submit the 


rfrederick on DSK30MX082PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 3488 IS

1 notification required under this subpara2 graph with respect to a contributor— 

3 ‘‘(I) in the case of a notification 

4 described in clause (i), not later than 

5 24 hours after the date on which the 

6 aggregate amount of contributions re7 ceived from the contributor during the 

8 calendar year exceeds $200; or 

9 ‘‘(II) in the case of an additional 

10 notification described in clause (ii), 

11 not later than 24 hours after the date 

12 of the contribution.’’. 

13 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

14 The amendments made by this Act shall apply to con15 tributions made for elections occurring after the date of 

16 the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


rfrederick on DSK30MX082PROD with BILLS