IA 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 31 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding 
the permissible sources of funding for elections for public office and 
State ballot measures. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2015 
Mr. MCNERNEY introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States regarding the permissible sources of funding for 
elections for public office and State ballot measures. 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the United States of America in Congress assembled
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol-
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 
States within seven years after the date of its submission 
for ratification: 
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‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. The only source of funding to directly 
or indirectly support or oppose a campaign for election 
to public office shall be either contributions by individual 
citizens to the principal campaign committee controlled by 
the candidate or funds provided under a system of public 
election financing or voter education established by Con-
gress, the State, or other jurisdiction as appropriate. 
‘‘SECTION 2. The only source of funding that may 
be used to directly or indirectly support or oppose a ballot 
measure to amend a State constitution or other initiatives 
or referenda shall be either contributions made by individ-
uals who are eligible to vote on the measure or funds pro-
vided under a system of public election financing or voter 
education established by the State. 
‘‘SECTION 3. Congress, the States, and local jurisdic-
tions shall establish limits on the amount of contributions 
individuals may make with respect to a single campaign 
for election to Federal, State, or local office, respectively, 
including limits on the amount of contributions an indi-
vidual who is a candidate for such office may make with 
respect to the individual’s own campaign, and the States 
and local jurisdictions shall establish limits on the amount 
of contributions individuals may make with respect to a 
ballot measure. The total of combined contributions to the 
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principal campaign committee of a candidate from citizens 
who are not eligible to vote for the candidate shall not 
exceed the total of combined contributions from citizens 
who are eligible to vote for the candidate. 
‘‘SECTION 4. Congress and the States shall have the 
power to carry out this article through appropriate legisla-
tion. 
‘‘SECTION 5. Nothing in this article shall be con-
strued to grant Congress or the States the power to 
abridge the freedom of the press.’’. 
Æ 
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