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didate if any other candidate seeking nomination or
election to that office—
‘‘(A) is not an eligible House of Represent-
atives candidate; and
‘‘(B) makes expenditures in excess of 80
percent of the general election period limitation
specified in subsection (a).
‘‘(2) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—A candidate
for the office of Representative in, or Delegate or
Resident Commissioner to, the Congress—
‘‘(A) who is not an eligible House of Rep-
resentatives candidate; and
‘‘(B) who—
‘‘(i) receives contributions in excess of
50 percent of the general election period
limitation specified in subsection (a)(1); or
‘‘(ii) makes expenditures in excess of
80 percent of such limit;
shall report that the threshold has been reached to
the Clerk of the House of Representatives not later
than 48 hours after reaching the threshold. The
Clerk shall transmit a report received under this
paragraph to the Commission as soon as possible
(but no later than 4 working hours of the Commis-
sion) after such receipt, and the Commission shall
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transmit a copy to each other candidate in the elec-
tion within 48 hours of receipt.
‘‘(e) 
EXEMPTION
FOR
CERTAIN
COSTS
AND
TAXES.—Payments for legal and accounting compliance
costs, and Federal, State, or local taxes with respect to
a candidate’s authorized committees, shall not be consid-
ered in the computation of amounts subject to limitation
under this section.
‘‘(f) EXEMPTION FOR FUNDRAISING COSTS.—
‘‘(1) Any costs incurred by an eligible House of
Representatives candidate or his or her authorized
committee in connection with the solicitation of con-
tributions on behalf of such candidate shall not be
considered in the computation of amounts subject to
limitation under this section to the extent that the
aggregate of such costs does not exceed 5 percent of
the limitation under subsection (a) or subsection (b).
‘‘(2) An amount equal to 5 percent of salaries
and overhead expenditures of an eligible House of
Representatives candidate’s campaign headquarters
and offices shall not be considered in the computa-
tion of amounts subject to limitation under this sec-
tion. Any amount excluded under this paragraph
shall be applied against the fundraising expenditure
exemption under paragraph (1).
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‘‘(g) INDEXING.—The dollar amounts specified in
subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e) shall be adjusted at the
beginning of each calendar year based on the increase in
the price index determined under section 315(c), except
that, for the purposes of such adjustment, the base period
shall be calendar year 1996.
‘‘SEC. 502. CONTRIBUTION LIMITATIONS.
‘‘(a) ELIGIBLE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CAN-
DIDATE LIMITATION.—An eligible House of Representa-
tives candidate may not, with respect to an election cycle,
accept contributions aggregating in excess of $600,000.
‘‘(b) NONPARTICIPATING OPPONENT PROVISIONS.—
The limitations imposed by subsection (a) do not apply
in the case of an eligible House of Representatives can-
didate if any other candidate seeking nomination or elec-
tion to that office—
‘‘(1) is not an eligible House of Representatives
candidate; and
‘‘(2) receives contributions in excess of 50 per-
cent of the general election period limitation speci-
fied in section 501(a).
‘‘(c) TRANSFER PROVISION.—If an eligible House of
Representatives candidate transfers any amount from an
election cycle to a later election cycle, the limitation with
respect to the candidate under subsection (a) for the later
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cycle shall be an amount equal to the difference between
the amount specified in that subsection and the amount
transferred.
‘‘(d) RUNOFF AMOUNT.—In addition to the contribu-
tions under subsection (a), an eligible House of Represent-
atives candidate who is a candidate in a runoff election
may accept contributions aggregating not more than 20
percent of the general election expenditure limit under sec-
tion 501(a) in the general election period.
‘‘(e) PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible House of Rep-
resentatives candidate may not, with respect to an
election cycle, make contributions to his or her own
campaign totaling more than $50,000 from the per-
sonal funds of the candidate.
‘‘(2) LIMITATION EXCEPTION.—The limitation
imposed by paragraph (1) does not apply in the case
of an eligible House of Representatives candidate if
any other candidate—
‘‘(A) is not an eligible House of Represent-
atives candidate; and
‘‘(B) receives contributions in excess of 50
percent of the general election period limitation
specified in section 501(a).
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‘‘(f) EXEMPTION
FOR CERTAIN COSTS.—(1) Any
amount—
‘‘(A) accepted by a candidate for the office of
Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commis-
sioner to the Congress; and
‘‘(B) used for legal and accounting compliance
costs, or used to pay Federal, State, or local taxes
with respect to a candidate’s authorized committees
shall not be considered in the computation of
amounts subject to limitation under subsection (a).
‘‘(2) The balance of funds maintained for legal and
accounting compliance costs by the authorized committees
of an eligible House of Representatives candidate shall not
exceed 20 percent of the limit under subsection (a) at any
time.
‘‘(g) INDEXING.—The dollar amounts specified in
subsections (a) and (e) shall be adjusted at the beginning
of the calendar year based on the increase in the price
index determined under section 315(c), except that, for
the purposes of such adjustment, the base period shall be
calendar year 1996.’’.
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TITLE 
II—PROVISIONS 
RELAT-
ING TO SOFT MONEY OF PO-
LITICAL PARTIES
SEC. 201. CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLITICAL PARTY COMMIT-
TEES.
(a) 
INDIVIDUAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
TO
STATE
PARTY.—Paragraph (1) of section 315(a) of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)) is
amended by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph (B),
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D),
and by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new
subparagraph:
‘‘(C) to political committees established and
maintained by a State committee of a political party
in any calendar year which, in the aggregate, exceed
$10,000; or’’.
(b) MULTICANDIDATE COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTIONS
TO STATE PARTY.—Paragraph (2) of section 315(a) of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (B), by redesignating subparagraph (C) as sub-
paragraph (D), and by inserting after subparagraph (B)
the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) to political committees established and
maintained by a State committee of a political party
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in any calendar year which, in the aggregate, exceed
$10,000; or’’.
(c) INCREASE IN OVERALL LIMIT.—Paragraph (3) of
section 315(a) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)) is amended by adding at the
end the following new sentence: ‘‘The limitation under this
paragraph shall be increased (but not by more than
$5,000) by the amount of contributions made by an indi-
vidual during a calendar year to political committees
which are taken into account for purposes of paragraph
(1)(C).’’.
SEC. 202. PROVISIONS RELATING TO NATIONAL, STATE,
AND LOCAL PARTY COMMITTEES.
(a) EXPENDITURES BY STATE COMMITTEES IN CON-
NECTION
WITH
PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS.—Section
315(d) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2
U.S.C. 441a(d)) is amended by inserting at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(4) A State committee of a political party, including
subordinate committees of that State committee, shall not
make expenditures in connection with the general election
campaign of a candidate for President of the United
States who is affiliated with such party which, in the ag-
gregate, exceed an amount equal to 4 cents multiplied by
the voting age population of the State, as certified under
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subsection (e). This paragraph shall not authorize a com-
mittee to make expenditures for audio broadcasts (includ-
ing television broadcasts) in excess of the amount which
could have been made without regard to this paragraph.’’.
(b) CONTRIBUTION
AND
EXPENDITURE
EXCEP-
TIONS.—(1) Section 301(8)(B) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(B)) is amend-
ed—
(A) in clause (xi), by striking ‘‘direct mail’’ and
inserting ‘‘mail’’; and
(B) by repealing clauses (x) and (xii).
(2) Section 301(9)(B) of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(9)(B)) is amended by
repealing clauses (viii) and (ix).
(c) SOFT MONEY OF COMMITTEES OF POLITICAL
PARTIES.—(1) Title III of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971, as amended by section 102, is further amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section:
‘‘POLITICAL PARTY COMMITTEES
‘‘SEC. 324. (a) Any amount solicited, received, or ex-
pended directly or indirectly by a national, State, district,
or local committee of a political party (including any sub-
ordinate committee) with respect to an activity which, in
whole or in part, is in connection with an election to Fed-
eral office shall be subject in its entirety to the limitations,
prohibitions, and reporting requirements of this Act.
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‘‘(b) For purposes of subsection (a)—
‘‘(1) Any activity which is solely for the purpose
of influencing an election for Federal office is in
connection with an election for Federal office.
‘‘(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), any
of the following activities during a Federal election
period shall be treated as in connection with an elec-
tion for Federal office:
‘‘(A) Voter registration and get-out-the-
vote activities.
‘‘(B) Campaign activities, including broad-
casting, newspaper, magazine, billboard, mass
mail, and newsletter communications, and simi-
lar kinds of communications or public advertis-
ing that—
‘‘(i) are generic campaign activities; or
‘‘(ii) identify a Federal candidate re-
gardless of whether a State or local can-
didate is also identified.
‘‘(C) The preparation and dissemination of
campaign materials that are part of a generic
campaign activity or that identify a Federal
candidate, regardless of whether a State or
local candidate is also identified.
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‘‘(D) Development and maintenance of
voter files.
‘‘(E) Any other activity affecting (in whole
or in part) an election for Federal office.
‘‘(3) The following shall not be treated as in
connection with a Federal election:
‘‘(A) Any amount described in section
301(8)(B)(viii).
‘‘(B) Any amount contributed to a can-
didate for other than Federal office.
‘‘(C) Any amount received or expended in
connection with a State or local political con-
vention.
‘‘(D) Campaign activities, including broad-
casting, newspaper, magazine, billboard, mass
mail, and newsletter communications, and simi-
lar kinds of communications or public advertis-
ing that are exclusively on behalf of State or
local candidates and are not activities described
in paragraph (2)(A).
‘‘(E) Administrative expenses of a State or
local committee of a political party, including
expenses for—
‘‘(i) overhead;
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‘‘(ii) staff (other than individuals de-
voting a substantial portion of their activi-
ties to elections for Federal office);
‘‘(iii) meetings; and
‘‘(iv) conducting party elections or
caucuses.
‘‘(F) Research pertaining solely to State
and local candidates and issues.
‘‘(G) Development and maintenance of
voter files other than during a Federal election
period.
‘‘(H) Activities described in paragraph
(2)(A) which are conducted other than during
a Federal election period.
‘‘(I) Any other activity which is solely for
the purpose of influencing, and which solely af-
fects, an election for non-Federal office.
‘‘(4) For purposes of this subsection, the term
‘Federal election period’ means the period—
‘‘(A) beginning on June 1, of any even-
numbered calendar year (April 1 if an election
to the office of President occurs in such year),
and
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‘‘(B) ending on the date during such year
on which regularly scheduled general elections
for Federal office occur.
In the case of a special election, the Federal election
period shall include at least the 60-day period end-
ing on the date of the election.
‘‘(c) SOLICITATION OF COMMITTEES.—(1) A national
committee of a political party may not solicit or accept
contributions not subject to the limitations, prohibitions,
and reporting requirements of this Act.
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to contributions
that—
‘‘(A) are to be transferred to a State committee
of a political party for use directly for activities de-
scribed in subsection (b)(3); or
‘‘(B) are to be used by the committee primarily
to support such activities.
‘‘(d) AMOUNTS RECEIVED FROM STATE AND LOCAL
CANDIDATE COMMITTEES.—(1) For purposes of sub-
section (a), any amount received by a national, State, dis-
trict, or local committee of a political party (including any
subordinate committee) from a State or local candidate
committee shall be treated as meeting the requirements
of subsection (a) and section 304(d) if—
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‘‘(A) such amount is derived from funds which
meet the requirements of this Act with respect to
any limitation or prohibition as to source or dollar
amount, and
‘‘(B) the State or local candidate committee—
‘‘(i) maintains, in the account from which
payment is made, records of the sources and
amounts of funds for purposes of determining
whether such requirements are met, and
‘‘(ii) certifies to the other committee that
such requirements were met.
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), any committee
receiving any contribution described in paragraph (1) from
a State or local candidate committee shall be required to
meet the reporting requirements of this Act with respect
to receipt of the contribution from such candidate commit-
tee.
‘‘(3) For purposes of this subsection, a State or local
candidate committee is a committee established, financed,
maintained, or controlled by a candidate for other than
Federal office.’’.
(2) Section 315(d) of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)), as amended by subsection
(a), is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
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‘‘(5)(A) The national committee of a political
party, the congressional campaign committees of a
political party, and a State or local committee of a
political party, including a subordinate committee of
any of the preceding committees, shall not make ex-
penditures during any calendar year for activities
described in section 324(b)(2) with respect to such
State which, in the aggregate, exceed an amount
equal to 30 cents multiplied by the voting age popu-
lation of the State (as certified under subsection
(e)).
‘‘(B) Expenditures authorized under this para-
graph shall be in addition to other expenditures al-
lowed under this subsection, except that this para-
graph shall not authorize a committee to make ex-
penditures to which paragraph (3) or (4) applies in
excess of the limit applicable to such expenditures
under paragraph (3) or (4).
‘‘(C) No adjustment to the limitation under this
paragraph shall be made under subsection (c) before
1996 and the base period for purposes of any such
adjustment shall be 1994.
‘‘(D) For purposes of this paragraph—
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‘‘(i) a local committee of a political party
shall only include a committee that is a political
committee (as defined in section 301(4)); and
‘‘(ii) a State committee shall not be re-
quired to record or report under this Act the
expenditures of any other committee which are
made independently from the State commit-
tee.’’.
(3) Section 301(4) of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(4)) is amended by adding at
the end the following new sentence: ‘‘For purposes of sub-
paragraph (C), any payments for get-out-the-vote activi-
ties on behalf of candidates for office other than Federal
office shall be treated as payments exempted from the def-
inition of expenditure under paragraph (9).’’.
(d) GENERIC ACTIVITIES.—Section 301 of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431), as
amended by section 402, is further amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(25) The term ‘generic campaign activity’
means a campaign activity the preponderant purpose
or effect of which is to promote a political party
rather than any particular Federal or non-Federal
candidate.’’.
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SEC. 203. RESTRICTIONS ON FUNDRAISING BY CANDIDATES
AND OFFICEHOLDERS.
(a) STATE FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES.—Section 315
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
441a), as amended by section 101, is further amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(j) LIMITATIONS ON FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES OF
FEDERAL CANDIDATES AND OFFICEHOLDERS AND CER-
TAIN POLITICAL COMMITTEES.—(1) For purposes of this
Act, a candidate for Federal office (or an individual hold-
ing Federal office) may not solicit funds to, or receive
funds on behalf of, any Federal or non-Federal candidate
or political committee—
‘‘(A) which are to be expended in connection
with any election for Federal office unless such
funds are subject to the limitations, prohibitions,
and requirements of this Act; or
‘‘(B) which are to be expended in connection
with any election for other than Federal office unless
such funds are not in excess of amounts permitted
with respect to Federal candidates and political com-
mittees under this Act, and are not from sources
prohibited by this Act with respect to elections to
Federal office.
‘‘(2)(A) The aggregate amount which a person de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) may solicit from a
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multicandidate political committee for State committees
described in subsection (a)(1)(C) (including subordinate
committees) for any calendar year shall not exceed the dol-
lar amount in effect under subsection (a)(2)(B) for the
calendar year.
‘‘(B) A person is described in this subparagraph if
such person is a candidate for Federal office, an individual
holding Federal office, or any national, State, district, or
local committee of a political party (including subordinate
committees).
‘‘(3) The appearance or participation by a candidate
or individual in any activity (including fundraising) con-
ducted by a committee of a political party or a candidate
for other than Federal office shall not be treated as a so-
licitation for purposes of paragraph (1) if—
‘‘(A) such appearance or participation is other-
wise permitted by law; and
‘‘(B) such candidate or individual does not so-
licit or receive, or make expenditures from, any
funds resulting from such activity.
‘‘(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the solicitation
or receipt of funds, or disbursements, by an individual who
is a candidate for other than Federal office if such activity
is permitted under State law.
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‘‘(5) For purposes of this subsection, an individual
shall be treated as holding Federal office if such individual
is described in section 101(f) of the Ethics in Government
Act of 1978.’’.
(b) TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS.—Section 315 of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
441a), as amended by section 101 and subsection (a) of
this section, is further amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
‘‘(k) TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS.—(1) If during
any period an individual is a candidate for, or holds, Fed-
eral office, such individual may not during such period so-
licit contributions to, or on behalf of, any organization
which is described in section 501(c) of the Internal Reve-
nue Code of 1986 if a significant portion of the activities
of such organization include voter registration or get-out-
the-vote campaigns.
‘‘(2) For purposes of this subsection, an individual
shall be treated as holding Federal office if such individual
is described in section 101(f) of the Ethics in Government
Act of 1978.’’.
SEC. 204. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
(a) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Section 304 of the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 434)
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is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new
subsection:
‘‘(d) POLITICAL COMMITTEES.—(1) The national
committee of a political party and any congressional cam-
paign committee, and any subordinate committee of ei-
ther, shall report all receipts and disbursements during
the reporting period, whether or not in connection with
an election for Federal office.
‘‘(2) A political committee (not described in para-
graph (1)) to which section 324 applies shall report all
receipts and disbursements in connection with a Federal
election (as determined under section 324).
‘‘(3) Any political committee to which section 324 ap-
plies shall include in its report under paragraph (1) or
(2) the amount of any transfer described in section 324(c)
and the reason for the transfer.
‘‘(4) Any political committee to which paragraph (1)
or (2) does not apply shall report any receipts or disburse-
ments which are used in connection with a Federal elec-
tion.
‘‘(5) If any receipt or disbursement to which this sub-
section applies exceeds $200, the political committee shall
include identification of the person from whom, or to
whom, such receipt or disbursement was made.
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‘‘(6) Reports required to be filed by this subsection
shall be filed for the same time periods required for politi-
cal committees under subsection (a).’’.
(b) REPORT OF EXEMPT CONTRIBUTIONS.—Section
301(8) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2
U.S.C. 431(8)) is amended by inserting at the end the
following:
‘‘(C) The exclusions provided in clauses (v) and (viii)
of subparagraph (B) shall not apply for purposes of any
requirement to report contributions under this Act, and
all such contributions in excess of $200 shall be
reported.’’.
(c) REPORTING OF EXEMPT EXPENDITURES.—Sec-
tion 301(9) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
(2 U.S.C. 431(9)) is amended by inserting at the end the
following:
‘‘(C) The exclusions provided in clause (iv) of sub-
paragraph (B) shall not apply for purposes of any require-
ment to report expenditures under this Act, and all such
expenditures in excess of $200 shall be reported.’’.
(d) CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES OF POLITI-
CAL COMMITTEES.—Section 301(4) of the Federal Elec-
tion Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(4)) is amended
by adding at the end the following: ‘‘For purposes of this
paragraph, the receipt of contributions or the making of,
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or obligating to make, expenditures shall be determined
by the Commission on the basis of facts and cir-
cumstances, in whatever combination, demonstrating a
purpose of influencing any election for Federal office, in-
cluding, but not limited to, the representations made by
any person soliciting funds about their intended uses; the
identification by name of individuals who are candidates
for Federal office or of any political party, in general pub-
lic political advertising; and the proximity to any primary,
runoff, or general election of general public political adver-
tising designed or reasonably calculated to influence voter
choice in that election.’’.
(e) REPORTS BY STATE COMMITTEES.—Section 304
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
434), as amended by subsection (a), is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(e) FILING OF STATE REPORTS.—In lieu of any re-
port required to be filed by this Act, the Commission may
allow a State committee of a political party to file with
the Commission a report required to be filed under State
law if the Commission determines such reports contain
substantially the same information.’’.
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TITLE III—INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURES
SEC. 301. CLARIFICATION OF DEFINITIONS RELATING TO
INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES.
(a) 
INDEPENDENT
EXPENDITURE
DEFINITION
AMENDMENT.—Section 301 of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431) is amended by striking
paragraphs (17) and (18) and inserting the following:
‘‘(17)(A) The term ‘independent expenditure’ means
an expenditure for an advertisement or other communica-
tion that—
‘‘(i) contains express advocacy; and
‘‘(ii) is made without the participation or co-
operation of a candidate or a candidate’s representa-
tive.
‘‘(B) The following shall not be considered an inde-
pendent expenditure:
‘‘(i) An expenditure made by a political commit-
tee of a political party.
‘‘(ii) An expenditure made by a person who,
during the election cycle, has communicated with or
received information from a candidate or a rep-
resentative of that candidate regarding activities
that have the purpose of influencing that candidate’s
election to Federal office, where the expenditure is
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in support of that candidate or in opposition to an-
other candidate for that office.
‘‘(iii) An expenditure if there is any arrange-
ment, coordination, or direction with respect to the
expenditure between the candidate or the candidate’s
agent and the person making the expenditure.
‘‘(iv) An expenditure if, in the same election
cycle, the person making the expenditure is or has
been—
‘‘(I) authorized to raise or expend funds on
behalf of the candidate or the candidate’s au-
thorized committees; or
‘‘(II) serving as a member, employee, or
agent of the candidate’s authorized committees
in an executive or policymaking position.
‘‘(v) An expenditure if the person making the
expenditure has advised or counseled the candidate
or the candidate’s agents at any time on the can-
didate’s plans, projects, or needs relating to the can-
didate’s pursuit of nomination for election, or elec-
tion, to Federal office, in the same election cycle, in-
cluding any advice relating to the candidate’s deci-
sion to seek Federal office.
‘‘(vi) An expenditure if the person making the
expenditure retains the professional services of any
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individual or other person also providing those serv-
ices in the same election cycle to the candidate in
connection with the candidate’s pursuit of nomina-
tion for election, or election, to Federal office, in-
cluding any services relating to the candidate’s deci-
sion to seek Federal office.
‘‘(vii) An expenditure if the person making the
expenditure has consulted at any time during the
same election cycle about the candidate’s plans,
projects, or needs relating to the candidate’s pursuit
of nomination for election, or election, to Federal of-
fice, with—
‘‘(I) any officer, director, employee or
agent of a party committee that has made or
intends to make expenditures or contributions,
pursuant to subsections (a), (d), or (h) of sec-
tion 315 in connection with the candidate’s
campaign; or
‘‘(II) any person whose professional serv-
ices have been retained by a political party com-
mittee that has made or intends to make ex-
penditures or contributions pursuant to sub-
sections (a), (d), or (h) of section 315 in con-
nection with the candidate’s campaign.
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For purposes of this subparagraph, the person making the
expenditure shall include any officer, director, employee,
or agent of such person.
‘‘(18) The term ‘express advocacy’ means, when a
communication is taken as a whole, an expression of sup-
port for or opposition to a specific candidate, to a specific
group of candidates, or to candidates of a particular politi-
cal party, or a suggestion to take action with respect to
an election, such as to vote for or against, make contribu-
tions to, or participate in campaign activity.’’.
(b) CONTRIBUTION DEFINITION AMENDMENT.—Sec-
tion 301(8)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(A)) is amended—
(1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘or’’ after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
‘‘(iii) any payment or other transaction referred
to in paragraph (17)(A)(i) that does not qualify as
an 
independent 
expenditure 
under 
paragraph
(17)(A)(ii).’’.
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TITLE IV—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 401. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that each candidate for
the office of Representative in, or Delegate or Resident
Commissioner to, the Congress should comply with the
contribution limitations and the expenditure limitations
under title V of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971.
SEC. 402. DEFINITIONS.
Section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431) is amended by striking out para-
graph (19) and inserting in lieu thereof the following new
paragraphs:
‘‘(19) The term ‘general election’ means any election
which will directly result in the election of a person to a
Federal office, but does not include an open primary elec-
tion.
‘‘(20) The term ‘general election period’ means, with
respect to any candidate, the period beginning on the day
after the date of the primary or runoff election for the
specific office the candidate is seeking, whichever is later,
and ending on the earlier of—
‘‘(A) the date of such general election; or
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‘‘(B) the date on which the candidate withdraws
from the campaign or otherwise ceases actively to
seek election.
‘‘(21) The term ‘primary election’ means an election
which may result in the selection of a candidate for the
ballot in a general election for a Federal office.
‘‘(22) The term ‘runoff election’ means an election
held after a primary election which is prescribed by appli-
cable State law as the means for deciding which candidate
will be on the ballot in the general election for a Federal
office.
‘‘(23) The term ‘eligible House of Representatives
candidate’ means a candidate for election to the office of
Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner
to, the Congress, who, as determined by the Commission
agrees to comply with the requirements of title V.
‘‘(24) The term ‘election cycle’ means—
‘‘(A) in the case of a candidate or the author-
ized committees of a candidate, the term beginning
on the day after the date of the most recent general
election for the specific office or seat which such
candidate seeks and ending on the date of the next
general election for such office or seat; or
‘‘(B) for all other persons, the term beginning
on the first day following the date of the last general
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election and ending on the date of the next general
election.’’.
TITLE V—EFFECTIVE DATE
SEC. 501. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the amend-
ments made by, and the provisions of, this Act shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act but shall
not apply with respect to activities in connection with any
election occurring before January 1, 1997.
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