I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 471 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the frequency 
of disclosure of information by political organizations and to improve 
the linkage between databases for public disclosure of election-related 
information maintained by the Department of the Treasury and the 
Federal Election Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 1, 2005 
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee 
on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase 
the frequency of disclosure of information by political 
organizations and to improve the linkage between data-
bases for public disclosure of election-related information 
maintained by the Department of the Treasury and the 
Federal Election Commission. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. INCREASED FREQUENCY OF DISCLOSURE BY 
POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (2) of section 527(j) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to required 
disclosure) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED DISCLOSURES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A political organiza-
tion which accepts a contribution, or makes an 
expenditure, for an exempt function during any 
calendar year shall file with the Secretary the 
reports required by subparagraphs (B) and (C), 
or the reports described in subparagraph (D). 
‘‘(B) ELECTION YEARS.— 
‘‘(i) MONTHLY DISCLOSURES FOR OR-
GANIZATIONS
RECEIVING
OR
EXPENDING 
$25,000 OR MORE IN ELECTION YEAR.—In 
the case of an organization that has, or 
has reason to expect to have, contributions 
which equal or exceed $25,000, or expendi-
tures which equal or exceed $25,000, for 
an exempt function in a calendar year in 
which a regularly scheduled election is 
held, the reports required by this clause 
are monthly reports, beginning with the 
first month of the calendar year in which 
a contribution is accepted or expenditure is
made. Such reports shall be filed not later 
than the 20th day after the last day of the 
month and shall be complete as of the last 
day of the month. 
‘‘(ii) QUARTERLY
DISCLOSURES
FOR 
ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING OR EXPENDING 
LESS
THAN
$25,000.—Except as provided 
by clause (i), in the case of contributions 
accepted or expenditures made during a 
calendar year in which a regularly sched-
uled election is held, the reports required 
by this clause are quarterly reports, begin-
ning with the first quarter of the calendar 
year in which a contribution is accepted or 
expenditure is made. Such reports shall be 
complete as of the last day of the quarter 
and shall be filed— 
‘‘(I) for each of the first three 
calendar quarters not later than the 
15th day after the last day of the cal-
endar quarter, and 
‘‘(II) for the calendar quarter 
ending on December 31 not later than 
January 31 of the following calendar 
year.
‘‘(iii) CHANGE TO MONTHLY REPORT-
ING WHEN CONTRIBUTIONS OR EXPENDI-
TURES IN EXCESS OF $25,000.—An organi-
zation which, at any time during the elec-
tion year, is required to report under 
clause (ii), and receives contributions in ex-
cess of $25,000 or makes expenditures in 
excess of $25,000, shall be subject to 
clause (i) beginning with the next report-
ing period in which such excess first oc-
curs. The first report required in a cal-
endar year under clause (i) by reason of 
this clause shall include a monthly report 
for each of the preceding months of such 
calendar year in which the organization 
would have been required to report under 
clause (i) if such clause applied without re-
gard to this clause. 
‘‘(iv) PRE- AND POST-ELECTION RE-
PORTS.—With respect to a regularly sched-
uled election, the reports required by this 
clause are— 
‘‘(I) a pre-election report, which 
shall be filed not later than the 12th 
day before (or posted by registered or
certified mail not later than the 15th 
day before) any election with respect 
to which the organization makes a 
contribution or expenditure and which 
shall be complete as of the 20th day 
before the election, and 
‘‘(II) a post-general election re-
port, which shall be filed not later 
than the 30th day after the general 
election and which shall be complete 
as of the 20th day after such general 
election. 
‘‘(C) NONELECTION YEAR.—In the case of 
a calendar year other than a calendar year in 
which a regularly scheduled election is held, the 
reports required by this subparagraph are a re-
port covering the period beginning January 1 
and ending June 30, which shall be filed no 
later than July 31 and a report covering the pe-
riod beginning July 1 and ending December 31, 
which shall be filed no later than January 31 
of the following calendar year, 
‘‘(D) ELECTION
TO
FILE
MONTHLY
RE-
PORTS.—An organization may elect to file 
monthly reports for the calendar year, begin-
ning with the first month of the calendar year 
in which a contribution is accepted or expendi-
ture is made. Each such report for a month 
shall be filed not later than the 20th day after 
the last day of the month and shall be complete 
as of the last day of the month. In lieu of filing 
reports otherwise due under this subparagraph 
in November and December of any year in 
which a regularly scheduled general election is 
held, a pre-general election report shall be filed 
in accordance with subparagraph (B)(iv)(I), a 
post-general election report shall be filed in ac-
cordance with subparagraph (B)(iv)(II), and a 
year end report shall be filed not later than 
January 31 of the following calendar year.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall apply to years beginning after December 
31, 2005. 
SEC. 2. IMPROVED ELECTRONIC DISCLOSURE AND LINK-
AGE WITH FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Treasury, in 
consultation with the Federal Election Commission, shall 
take such actions as may be necessary to increase disclo-
sure to the public by improving the database and disclo-
sure system for reports required to be filed by political
organizations under section 527 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986. 
(b) IMPROVED LINKAGE WITH FEDERAL ELECTION 
COMMISSION.—The Secretary of the Treasury and the 
Federal Election Commission shall take such actions as 
may be necessary to improve the linkage between the data-
bases for public disclosure of election-related information 
maintained by the Department of the Treasury and the 
Federal Election Commission. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary of the 
Treasury and the Federal Election Commission shall each 
submit reports to the Congress on the actions taken under 
subsections (a) and (b). The first report shall be an in-
terim report submitted not later than July 15, 2005, and 
the second report shall be a final report submitted not 
later than January 15, 2006. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec-
essary to carry out this section. 
Æ