I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 371
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to limit the influence
of nonparty multicandidate political committees in elections for Federal
office, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for
an income tax credit for contributions to candidates for the House
of Representatives, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 5, 1993
Ms. SNOWE introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on House Administration and Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
limit the influence of nonparty multicandidate political
committees in elections for Federal office, to amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for an income
tax credit for contributions to candidates for the House
of Representatives, 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. REDUCTION IN LIMITATION AMOUNT APPLICA-
BLE TO NONPARTY MULTICANDIDATE POLIT-
ICAL COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTIONS IN ELEC-
TIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE.
Section 315(a)(2)(A) of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(2)(A)) is amended
by inserting after ‘‘$5,000’’ the following: ‘‘, except that,
in the case of a nonparty multicandidate political commit-
tee, the limitation under this subparagraph shall be
$1,000’’.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF NONPARTY MULTICANDIDATE PO-
LITICAL COMMITTEE BUNDLING OF CON-
TRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES.
Section 315 of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
‘‘(i) No nonparty multicandidate political committee
may act as an intermediary or conduit with respect to a
contribution to a candidate for Federal office.’’.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF LEADERSHIP COMMITTEES.
Section 302 of the Federal Election Campaign Act
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 432) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subsection:
‘‘(j) A candidate for Federal office may not establish,
maintain, finance, or control a political committee, other
than the principal campaign committee of the candidate.’’.
SEC. 4. INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CAN-
DIDATES FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subpart A of part IV of sub-
chapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 (relating to nonrefundable personal credits) is
amended by inserting before section 25 the following new
section:
‘‘SEC. 24. CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—In the case of an individual,
there shall be allowed, subject to the limitations in sub-
section (b), as a credit against the tax imposed by this
chapter for the taxable year, an amount equal to all local
congressional political contributions for which payment is
made by the taxpayer within the taxable year.
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(1) MAXIMUM CREDIT.—The credit allowed by
subsection (a) for a taxable year shall not exceed
$100 ($200 in the case of a joint return).
‘‘(2) VERIFICATION.—A credit shall be allowed
by subsection (a) with respect to any local congres-
sional political contribution only if the contribution
is verified in the manner prescribed by the Secretary
in regulations.
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) LOCAL CONGRESSIONAL POLITICAL CON-
TRIBUTION.—The term ‘local congressional political
contribution’ means a contribution or gift of money
to—
‘‘(A) a local congressional candidate, or
‘‘(B) a committee, association, or organiza-
tion (whether or not incorporated) organized
and operated exclusively for the purpose of in-
fluencing (or attempting to influence) the nomi-
nation or election of a local congressional can-
didate,
for use to further the candidacy of such candidate
for nomination or election to the House of Rep-
resentatives.
‘‘(2) LOCAL CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE.—The
term ‘local congressional candidate’ means a can-
didate in any primary, general, or special election for
nomination or election to the House of Representa-
tives for the congressional district in which the prin-
cipal residence of the taxpayer is located.
‘‘(3) CANDIDATE.—The term ‘candidate’ means
an individual who—
‘‘(A) publicly announces before the close of
the calendar year following the calendar year in
which the contribution or gift is made that the
individual is a candidate for nomination or elec-
tion to the House of Representatives, and
‘‘(B) meets the qualification prescribed by
law to hold such office.
‘‘(4) PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE.—The term ‘prin-
cipal residence’ has the same meaning as when used
in section 1034.
‘‘(d) CROSS REFERENCE.—
‘‘For disallowance of credits to estates and trusts,
see section 642(j).’’
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 642 of such Code (relating to spe-
cial rules for credits and deductions) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(j) POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.—An estate or trust
shall not be allowed the credit for contributions to can-
didates for the House of Representatives provided by sec-
tion 24.’’
(2) The table of sections for subpart A of part
IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is
amended by inserting before the item relating to sec-
tion 25 the following new item.
‘‘Sec. 24. Contributions to candidates for the House of Represent-
atives.’’
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to amounts paid after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(B) Paragraph (4) of section 56(h) of such
Code (as so redesignated by subparagraph (A))
is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(4) SPECIAL
RULE.—For purposes of para-
graphs (1)(B) and (3), alternative minimum taxable
income shall be determined without regard to the de-
duction allowable under this subsection and the al-
ternative tax net operating deduction under sub-
section (a)(4).’’
(C) Clause (ii) of section 59(a)(2)(A) of
such Code is amended by striking ‘‘alternative
tax energy preference’’.
(D) Paragraph (1) of section 59A(b) of
such Code is amended by striking ‘‘alternative
tax energy preference’’.
(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made
by this subsection shall apply to amounts paid or in-
curred after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
(a) TRANSFER OF DEFINITION.—Section 301 of the
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431)
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(20) The term ‘multicandidate political committee’
means a political committee which has been registered
under section 303 for a period of not less than 6 months,
which has received contributions from more than 50 per-
sons, and, except for any State political party organiza-
tion, has made contributions to 5 or more candidates for
Federal office.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 315(a)(4)
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
441a(a)(4)) is amended by striking out the second
sentence.
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