I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3395 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to clarify the treatment 
of information sought or obtained for political advantage from foreign 
nationals, to require political committees under such Act to acknowledge 
in writing that they are aware of the provisions of such Act which 
prohibit the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of money and other things 
of value from foreign nationals in elections, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 20, 2019 
Mr. SCHIFF 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 
clarify the treatment of information sought or obtained 
for political advantage from foreign nationals, to require 
political committees under such Act to acknowledge in 
writing that they are aware of the provisions of such 
Act which prohibit the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt 
of money and other things of value from foreign nation-
als in elections, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:18 Jun 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3395.IH
H3395
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prohibiting Foreign 
Election Assistance Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF INFORMATION SOUGHT OR OB-
TAINED FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE FROM 
FOREIGN NATIONALS. 
(a) CLARIFICATION OF TREATMENT AS THING OF 
VALUE FOR PURPOSES OF FOREIGN MONEY BAN.—Sec-
tion 319(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30121(a)(1)(A)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘or other thing of value’’ and inserting ‘‘or other thing 
of value (including information sought or obtained for po-
litical advantage)’’. 
(b) ENHANCED PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 309(d)(1) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 30109(d)(1)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) Any person who knowingly and willfully com-
mits a violation of section 319 which involves the making, 
solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of any contribution, do-
nation, or expenditure involving information sought or ob-
tained for political advantage, shall be fined under title 
18, United States Code, or imprisoned for not more than 
5 years, or both.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:18 Jun 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3395.IH
H3395
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
tributions, donations, and expenditures which are 
made, solicited, accepted, or received on or after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. REQUIRING ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF FOREIGN 
MONEY BAN BY POLITICAL COMMITTEES. 
(a) PROVISION OF INFORMATION BY FEDERAL ELEC-
TION COMMISSION.—Section 303 of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30103) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF
FOREIGN
MONEY 
BAN.— 
‘‘(1) NOTIFICATION BY COMMISSION.—Not later 
than 30 days after a political committee files its 
statement of organization under subsection (a), and 
biennially thereafter until the committee terminates, 
the Commission shall provide the committee with a 
written explanation of section 319. 
‘‘(2) ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 30 
days after receiving the written explanation of 
section 319 under paragraph (1), the committee 
shall transmit to the Commission a signed cer-
tification that the committee has received such 
written explanation and has provided a copy of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:18 Jun 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3395.IH
H3395
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
the explanation to all members, employees, con-
tractors, and volunteers of the committee. 
‘‘(B) PERSON
RESPONSIBLE
FOR
SIGNA-
TURE.—The certification required under sub-
paragraph (A) shall be signed— 
‘‘(i) in the case of an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate, by the candidate; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of any other political 
committee, by the treasurer of the com-
mittee.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE; TRANSITION FOR EXISTING 
COMMITTEES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to political 
committees which file statements of organization 
under section 303 of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30103) on or after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) TRANSITION FOR EXISTING COMMITTEES.— 
(A) NOTIFICATION BY FEDERAL ELECTION 
COMMISSION.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal 
Election Commission shall provide each political 
committee under such Act with the written ex-
planation of section 319 of such Act, as re-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:18 Jun 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3395.IH
H3395
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
quired under section 303(e)(1) of such Act (as 
added by subsection (a)). 
(B) ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY COMMITTEE.— 
Not later than 30 days after receiving the writ-
ten explanation under subparagraph (A), each 
political committee under such Act shall trans-
mit to the Federal Election Commission the 
signed certification, as required under section 
303(e)(2) of such Act (as added by subsection 
(a)). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:18 Jun 26, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3395.IH
H3395
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS