I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1776
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to restrict the use
of soft money in political campaigns, to improve the enforcement of
campaign laws, to promote the disclosure of information on campaign
spending, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 4, 1997
Mr. SHAYS (for himself, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. WAMP, Mr. MORAN of Virginia,
Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. MCHALE, Mr. HORN, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin,
Mr. CASTLE, Mr. MINGE, Mr. LEACH, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr.
DUNCAN, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey,
and Mr. METCALF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on House Oversight
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
restrict the use of soft money in political campaigns,
to improve the enforcement of campaign laws, to promote
the disclosure of information on campaign spending, 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 Independ-
ence Restoration Act, Part I’’.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I—SOFT MONEY
Subtitle A—Provisions Relating to Soft Money of Political Parties
Sec. 101. Soft money of political parties.
Sec. 102. Increase in contribution limit for individual contributions to national
political parties.
Sec. 103. Reporting requirements.
Sec. 104. Building fund exception to the definition of the term ‘‘contribution’’.
Subtitle B—Soft Money of Persons Other Than Political Parties
Sec. 111. Soft money of persons other than political parties.
TITLE II—ENFORCEMENT AND DISCLOSURE
Subtitle A—Improving Enforcement
Sec. 201. Audits.
Sec. 202. Independent litigation authority.
Sec. 203. Term limits for Federal Election Commission.
Sec. 204. Authority to seek injunction.
Sec. 205. Expedited procedures.
Sec. 206. Increase in penalty for knowing and willful violations.
Subtitle B—Increasing Disclosure
Sec. 211. Change in certain reporting from a calendar year basis to an election
cycle basis.
Sec. 212. Disclosure of personal and consulting services.
Sec. 213. Mandatory electronic filing and preservation of Federal Election
Commission reports.
Sec. 214. Campaign advertising amendments.
Sec. 215. Use of candidates’ names.
Sec. 216. Reporting requirements.
Sec. 217. Simultaneous registration of candidate and candidate’s principal cam-
paign committee.
TITLE III—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Regulations relating to use of non-federal money.
Sec. 302. Severability.
Sec. 303. Expedited review of constitutional issues.
Sec. 304. Effective date.
Sec. 305. Regulations.
TITLE I—SOFT MONEY
Subtitle A—Provisions Relating to
Soft Money of Political Parties
SEC. 101. SOFT MONEY OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following new section:
‘‘SOFT MONEY OF POLITICAL PARTIES
‘‘SEC. 323. (a) NATIONAL PARTIES.—A national
committee of a political party (including the national con-
gressional campaign committees of a political party), any
entity that is directly or indirectly established, financed,
maintained, or controlled by a national committee of a po-
litical party, any entity acting on behalf of a national com-
mittee of a political party, and any officer or agent acting
on behalf of such party committee or entity (other than
any individual or entity subject to regulation under sub-
section (b)) shall not solicit or receive any contributions,
donations, or transfers of funds, or spend any funds, not
subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting re-
quirements of this Act.
‘‘(b) EXPENDITURES
BY STATE
OR LOCAL PAR-
TIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Any amount expended or
disbursed by a State, district, or local committee of