I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3582
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to expedite the report-
ing of information to the Federal Election Commission, to expand the
type of information required to be reported to the Commission, to pro-
mote the effective enforcement of campaign laws by the Commission,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 30, 1998
Mr. WHITE (for himself, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. PAXON, Mr.
FRANKS of New Jersey, and Mrs. LINDA SMITH of Washington) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House
Oversight
MARCH 30, 1998
Considered under suspension of the rules and passed
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
expedite the reporting of information to the Federal
Election Commission, to expand the type of information
required to be reported to the Commission, to promote
the effective enforcement of campaign laws by the Com-
mission, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Campaign Reporting
and Disclosure Act of 1998’’.
SEC. 2. EXPEDITING REPORTING OF INFORMATION.
(a) REQUIRING REPORTS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS AND
EXPENDITURES MADE WITHIN 90 DAYS OF ELECTION
TO BE FILED WITHIN 24 HOURS
AND POSTED
ON
INTERNET.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 304(a)(6) of the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
434(a)(6)) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(6)(A) Each political committee shall notify the Sec-
retary or the Commission, and the Secretary of State, as
appropriate, in writing, of any contribution received and
expenditure made by the committee during the period
which begins on the 90th day before an election and ends
at the time the polls close for such election. This notifica-
tion shall be made within 24 hours (or, if earlier, by mid-
night of the day on which the contribution is deposited)
after the receipt of such contribution or the making of
such expenditure and shall include the name of the can-
didate involved (as appropriate) and the office sought by
the candidate, the identification of the contributor or the
person to whom the expenditure is made, and the date
of receipt and amount of the contribution or the date of
disbursement and amount of the expenditure.
‘‘(B) The notification required under this paragraph
shall be in addition to all other reporting requirements
under this Act.
‘‘(C) The Commission shall make the information
filed under this paragraph available on the Internet imme-
diately upon receipt.’’.
(2) INTERNET DEFINED.—Section 301(19) of
such Act (2 U.S.C. 431(19)) is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(19) The term ‘Internet’ means the international
computer network of both Federal and non-Federal inter-
operable packet-switched data networks.’’.
(b) REQUIRING REPORTS OF CERTAIN FILERS TO
BE TRANSMITTED ELECTRONICALLY; CERTIFICATION OF
PRIVATE SECTOR SOFTWARE.—Section 304(a)(11)(A) of
such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(a)(11)(A)) is amended by striking
the period at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘, except
that in the case of a report submitted by a person who
reports an aggregate amount of contributions or expendi-
tures (as the case may be) in all reports filed with respect
to the election involved (taking into account the period
covered by the report) in an amount equal to or greater
than $50,000, the Commission shall require the report to
be filed and preserved by such means, format, or method.
The Commission shall certify (on an ongoing basis) pri-
vate sector computer software which may be used for filing
reports by such means, format, or method.’’.
(c) CHANGE IN CERTAIN REPORTING FROM A CAL-
ENDAR YEAR BASIS TO AN ELECTION CYCLE BASIS.—
Section 304(b) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 434(b)) is amended
by inserting ‘‘(or election cycle, in the case of an author-
ized committee of a candidate for Federal office)’’ after
‘‘calendar year’’ each place it appears in paragraphs (2),
(3), (4), (6), and (7).
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF TYPE OF INFORMATION REPORTED.
(a) REQUIRING RECORD KEEPING AND REPORT OF
SECONDARY PAYMENTS BY CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES.—
(1) REPORTING.—Section 304(b)(5)(A) of the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
434(b)(5)(A)) is amended by striking the semicolon
at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘, and, if
such person in turn makes expenditures which ag-
gregate $500 or more in an election cycle to other
persons (not including employees) who provide goods
or services to the candidate or the candidate’s au-
thorized committees, the name and address of such
other persons, together with the date, amount, and
purpose of such expenditures;’’.