amended by striking ‘‘of this Act’’ and inserting
‘‘and other written responses under section 308A’’.
(c) OPPORTUNITY FOR ORAL ARGUMENTS BEFORE
COMMISSION.—Section 309(a)(3) of such Act (2 U.S.C.
437g(a)(3)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘(3)(A)’’;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(B) If a respondent submits a brief under subpara-
graph (A), the respondent may submit (at the time of sub-
mitting the brief) a request to present an oral argument
in support of the respondent’s brief before the Commis-
sion. If at least 2 members of the Commission approve
of the request, the respondent shall be permitted to appear
before the Commission in open session and make an oral
presentation in support of the brief and respond to ques-
tions of members of the Commission. Such appearance
shall take place at a time specified by the Commission dur-
ing the 30-day period which begins on the date the request
is approved, and the Commission may limit the length of
the respondent’s appearance to such period of time as the
Commission considers appropriate. Any information pro-
vided by the respondent during the appearance shall be
considered by the Commission before proceeding under
paragraph (4).’’.
(d) INDEX OF ADVISORY OPINIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 308 of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437f) is
amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(e) The Commission shall compile, publish, and reg-
ularly update a complete and detailed index of the advisory
opinions issued under this section through which opinions
may be found on the basis of the subjects included in the
opinions.’’.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Federal Election
Commission shall first publish the index of advisory
opinions described in section 308(e) of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as added by para-
graph (1)) not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(e) STANDARD FOR INITIATION OF ACTIONS.—Sec-
tion 309(a)(2) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘it
has reason to believe’’ and all that follows through ‘‘of
1954,’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘it has a reason to
investigate a possible violation of this Act or of chapter
95 or chapter 96 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954
that has occurred or is about to occur (based on the same
criteria applicable under this paragraph prior to the enact-
ment of the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1996),’’.
(f) APPLICATION
OF AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTION
LIMIT ON CALENDAR YEAR BASIS DURING NON-ELEC-
TION YEARS.—Section 315(a)(3) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)) is amended
by striking the second sentence.
(g) REPEAL REPORT BY SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
ON DISTRICT-SPECIFIC VOTING AGE POPULATION.—Sec-
tion 315(e) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
(2 U.S.C. 441a(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘States, of each
State, and of each congressional district’’ and inserting
‘‘States and of each State’’.
(h) COMMERCIALLY REASONABLE LOANS NOT TO
BE TREATED AS CONTRIBUTIONS BY LENDER.—Section
301(8)(B)(vii) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(B)(vii)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘or a depository’’ and inserting
‘‘a depository’’; and
(2) by inserting after ‘‘Administration,’’ the fol-
lowing: ‘‘or any other commercial lender,’’.
(i) ABOLITION
OF EX OFFICIO MEMBERSHIP
OF
CLERK OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON COMMIS-
SION.—Section 306(a) of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and the
Clerk’’ and all that follows through ‘‘designees’’ and
inserting ‘‘or the designee of the Secretary’’; and
(2) in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), by striking
‘‘and the Clerk of the House of Representatives’’
each place it appears.
(j) GRANTING COMMISSION AUTHORITY TO WAIVE
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Section 304 of such Act (2
U.S.C. 434), as amended by section 101(b), is further
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(e) The Commission may by unanimous vote relieve
any person or category of persons of the obligation to file
any of the reports required by this section, or may change
the due dates of any of the reports required by this sec-
tion, if it determines that such action is consistent with
the purposes of this title. The Commission may waive re-
quirements to file reports or change due dates in accord-
ance with this subsection through a rule of general appli-
cability or, in a specific case, by notifying all the political
committees involved.’’.
(k) PERMITTING CORPORATIONS TO COMMUNICATE
WITH ALL EMPLOYEES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 316(b) of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
441b(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘executive or ad-
ministrative personnel’’ each place it appears in
paragraphs (2)(A), (2)(B), (4)(A)(i), (4)(D), and (5)
and inserting ‘‘officers or employees’’.
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section
316(b) of such Act is amended by striking para-
graph (7).
(l) PERMITTING UNLIMITED SOLICITATIONS BY COR-
PORATIONS
OR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS; PROTECTING
CONFIDENTIALITY
OF CONTRIBUTIONS NOT GREATER
THAN $100.—Section 316(b) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)(3)), as amended
by subsection (k)(2), is amended—
(1) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ‘‘(B), (C),’’
and inserting ‘‘(C)’’;
(2) in paragraph (4)(A)(ii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘, its of-
ficers or employees and their families, employees
who are not members and their families, and offi-
cers, employees, or stockholders of a corporation
(and their families) in which the labor organization
represents members working for the corporation.’’;
(3) in paragraph (4), by striking subparagraph
(B); and
(4) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(7)(A) Any corporation or labor organization (or
separate segregated fund established by such a corpora-
tion or such a labor organization) making solicitations of
contributions shall make such solicitations in a manner
that ensures that the corporation, organization, or fund
cannot determine who makes a contribution of $100 or
less as a result of such solicitation and who does not make
such a contribution.
‘‘(B) Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect
to any solicitation of contributions of a corporation from
its stockholders.’’.
(m) GREATER PROTECTION AGAINST FORCE AND
REPRISALS.—Section 316(b)(3) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)(3)), is amend-
ed—
(1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through
(C) as subparagraphs (B) through (D); and
(2) by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so
redesignated) the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(A) for such a fund to cause another person
to make a contribution or expenditure by physical
force, job discrimination, financial reprisals, or the
threat of force, job discrimination, or financial re-
prisal;’’.
(n) REQUIRING COMPLAINANT TO PROVIDE NOTICE
TO RESPONDENTS.—Section 309(a)(1) of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(1)) is
amended by striking the third sentence and inserting the
following: ‘‘The complaint shall include the names and ad-
dresses of persons alleged to have committed such a viola-
tion. Within 5 days after receipt of the complaint, the
Commission shall provide written notice of the complaint
together with a copy of the complaint to each person de-
scribed in the previous sentence, except that if the Com-
mission determines that it is not necessary for a person
described in the previous sentence to receive a copy of the
complaint, the Commission shall provide the person with
written notice that the complaint has been filed, together
with written instructions on how to obtain a copy of the
complaint without charge from the Commission.’’.
(o) STANDARD FORM FOR COMPLAINTS; STRONGER
DISCLAIMER LANGUAGE.—
(1) STANDARD
FORM.—Section 309(a)(1) of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2
U.S.C. 437g(a)(1)) is amended by inserting after
‘‘shall be notarized,’’ the following: ‘‘shall be in a
standard form prescribed by the Commission, shall
not include (but may refer to) extraneous mate-
rials,’’.
(2) 
DISCLAIMER
LANGUAGE.—Section
309(a)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(1)) is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘(a)(1)’’ and inserting
‘‘(a)(1)(A)’’; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
‘‘(B) The written notice of a complaint provided by
the Commission under subparagraph (A) to a person al-
leged to have committed a violation referred to in the com-
plaint shall include a cover letter (in a form prescribed
by the Commission) and the following statement: ‘The en-
closed complaint has been filed against you with the Fed-
eral Election Commission. The Commission has not veri-
fied or given official sanction to the complaint. The Com-
mission will make no decision to pursue the complaint for
a period of at least 15 days from your receipt of this com-
plaint. You may, if you wish, submit a written statement
to the Commission explaining why the Commission should
take no action against you based on this complaint. If the
Commission should decide to investigate, you will be noti-
fied and be given further opportunity to respond.’’’.
(p) BANNING ACCEPTANCE
OF CASH CONTRIBU-
TIONS GREATER THAN $100.—Section 315 of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a), as
amended by sections 101, 103(a)(1), and 202, is further
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(l) No candidate or political committee may accept
any contributions of currency of the United States or cur-
rency of any foreign country from any person which, in
the aggregate, exceed $100.’’.
(q) APPOINTMENT AND SERVICE OF STAFF DIREC-
TOR AND GENERAL COUNSEL OF COMMISSION.—
(1) APPOINTMENT; LENGTH OF TERM OF SERV-
ICE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of
section 306(f)(1) of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437c(f)(1)) is
amended by striking ‘‘by the Commission’’ and
inserting the following: ‘‘by an affirmative vote
of not less than 4 members of the Commission
and may not serve for a term of more than 4
consecutive years without reappointment in ac-
cordance with this paragraph’’.
(B) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The amendment
made by subparagraph (A) shall apply with re-
spect to any individual serving as the staff di-
rector or general counsel of the Federal Elec-
tion Commission on or after January 1, 1997,
without regard to whether or not the individual
served as staff director or general counsel prior
to such date.
(2) TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS FILLING VA-
CANCIES; TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY UPON EXPI-
RATION OF TERM.—Section 306(f)(1) of such Act (2
U.S.C. 437c(f)(1)) is amended by inserting after the
first sentence the following new sentences: ‘‘An indi-
vidual appointed as a staff director or general coun-
sel to fill a vacancy occurring other than by the expi-
ration of a term of office shall be appointed only for
the unexpired term of the individual he or she suc-
ceeds. An individual serving as staff director or gen-
eral counsel may not serve in any capacity on behalf
of the Commission after the expiration of the indi-
vidual’s term unless reappointed in accordance with
this paragraph.’’.
(3) APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL STAFF.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The last sentence of
section 306(f)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C.
437c(f)(1)) is amended by inserting ‘‘not less
than 4 members of’’ after ‘‘approval of’’.
(B) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The amendment
made by subparagraph (A) shall apply with re-
spect to personnel appointed on or after Janu-
ary 1, 1997.
(r) ENCOURAGING CITIZEN GRASSROOTS ACTIVITY
ON BEHALF OF FEDERAL CANDIDATES.—
(1) EXEMPTION
OF
INDIVIDUAL
CONTRIBU-
TIONS UNDER $100.—Section 301(8)(B) of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
431(8)(B)), as amended by sections 110(a) and
205(a), is further amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause
(xv);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
clause (xvi) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
‘‘(xvii) any payment of funds on behalf of a
candidate (whether in cash or in kind, but not in-
cluding a direct payment of cash to a candidate or
a political committee of the candidate) by an individ-
ual from the individual’s personal funds which in the
aggregate does not exceed $100, if the funds are
used for activities carried out by the individual or a
member of the individual’s family.’’.
(2) EXEMPTION OF INDIVIDUAL EXPENDITURES
UNDER $100.—Section 301(9)(B) of the Federal
Election 
Campaign 
Act 
of 
1971 
(2 
U.S.C.
431(9)(B)), as amended by sections 110(b) and
205(b), is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause
(xii);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
clause (xiii) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
‘‘(xiv) any payment of funds on behalf of a can-
didate (whether in cash or in kind, but not including
a direct payment of cash to a candidate or a political
committee of the candidate) by an individual from
the individual’s personal funds which in the aggre-
gate does not exceed $100, if the funds are used for
activities carried out by the individual or a member
of the individual’s family.’’.
(s) PERMITTING PARTNERSHIPS TO SOLICIT CON-
TRIBUTIONS AND PAY ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF POLIT-
ICAL COMMITTEES IN SAME MANNER AS CORPORATIONS
AND LABOR UNIONS.—
(1) TREATMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS.—Section
301(8)(B) of the Federal Election Campaign Act (2
U.S.C. 431(8)(B)), as amended by sections 110(a)
and 205(a) and subsection (r)(1), is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause
(xvi);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
clause (xvii) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
‘‘(xviii) any payment made or obligation in-
curred by a partnership in the establishment and
maintenance of a political committee, the adminis-
tration of such a political committee, or the solicita-
tion of contributions to such committee.’’.
(2) TREATMENT OF EXPENDITURES.—Section
301(9)(B) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431(9)(B)), as
amended by sections 110(b) and 205(b) and sub-
section (r)(2), is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause
(xiii);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
clause (xiv) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
clause:
‘‘(xv) any payment made or obligation incurred
by a partnership in the establishment and mainte-
nance of a political committee, the administration of
such a political committee, or the solicitation of con-
tributions to such committee.’’.
TITLE IV—GENERAL
PROVISIONS
SEC. 401. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Except as otherwise specifically provided, this Act
and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect
January 1, 1997.
SEC. 402. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act or any amendment made
by this Act, or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance, is held invalid, the validity of the remainder
of the Act and the application of such provision to other
persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
SEC. 403. EXPEDITED COURT REVIEW.
(a) RIGHT TO BRING ACTION.—The Federal Elec-
tion Commission, a political committee under title III of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, or any indi-
vidual eligible to vote in any election for the office of Presi-
dent of the United States may institute an action in an
appropriate district court of the United States (including
an action for declaratory judgment) as may be appropriate
to construe the constitutionality of any provision of this
Act or any amendment made by this Act.
(b) HEARING BY THREE-JUDGE COURT.—Upon the
institution of an action described in subsection (a), a dis-
trict court of three judges shall immediately be convened
to decide the action pursuant to section 2284 of title 28,
United States Code. Such action shall be advanced on the
docket and expedited to the greatest extent possible.
(c) APPEAL
OF INITIAL DECISION
TO SUPREME
COURT.—An appeal may be taken directly to the Supreme
Court of the United States from any interlocutory order
or final judgment, decree, or order issued by the court of
3 judges convened pursuant to subsection (b) in an action
described in subsection (a). Such appeal shall be brought
not later than 20 days after the issuance by the court of
the judgment, decree, or order.
(d) EXPEDITED REVIEW BY SUPREME COURT.—The
Supreme Court shall accept jurisdiction over, advance on
the docket, and expedite to the greatest extent possible
an appeal taken pursuant to subsection (c).
Æ