123 
‘‘SEC. 603. NEGOTIATING FUTURE PRIVATE SECTOR EM-
PLOYMENT. 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c), and notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, a covered financial services regulator may not partici-
pate in any particular matter which involves, to the knowl-
edge of the covered financial services regulator, an indi-
vidual or entity with whom the covered financial services 
regulator is in negotiations of future employment or has 
an arrangement concerning prospective employment. 
‘‘(b) DISCLOSURE
OF
EMPLOYMENT
NEGOTIA-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If a covered financial serv-
ices regulator begins any negotiations of future em-
ployment with another person, or an agent or inter-
mediary of another person, or other discussion or 
communication with another person, or an agent or 
intermediary of another person, mutually conducted 
with a view toward reaching an agreement regarding 
possible employment of the covered financial services 
regulator, the covered financial services regulator 
shall notify the designated agency ethics official of 
the covered financial services agency employing the 
covered financial services regulator regarding the ne-
gotiations, discussions, or communications. 
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124 
‘‘(2) INFORMATION.—A designated agency eth-
ics official receiving notice under paragraph (1), 
after consultation with the Director of the Office of 
Government Ethics, shall inform the covered finan-
cial services regulator of any potential conflicts of 
interest involved in any negotiations, discussions, or 
communications with the other person and the pro-
hibitions applicable. 
‘‘(c) WAIVERS ONLY WHEN EXCEPTIONAL CIR-
CUMSTANCES EXIST.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of a covered fi-
nancial services agency may only grant a waiver of 
subsection (a) if the head determines that excep-
tional circumstances exist. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW
AND
PUBLICATION.—For any 
waiver granted under paragraph (1), the Director of 
the Office of Government Ethics shall— 
‘‘(A) review the circumstances relating to 
the waiver and the determination that excep-
tional circumstances exist; and 
‘‘(B) make the waiver publicly available on 
the Web site of the Office of Government Eth-
ics, which shall include— 
‘‘(i) the name of the private person or 
persons involved in the negotiations or ar-
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125 
rangement concerning prospective employ-
ment; and 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the negotia-
tions or arrangements commenced. 
‘‘(d) SCOPE.—For purposes of this section, the term 
‘negotiations of future employment’ is not limited to dis-
cussions of specific terms or conditions of employment in 
a specific position. 
‘‘SEC. 604. RECORDKEEPING. 
‘‘The Director of the Office of Government Ethics 
shall— 
‘‘(1) receive all employment histories, recusal 
and waiver records, and other disclosure records for 
covered executive branch officials necessary for mon-
itoring compliance to this title; 
‘‘(2) promulgate rules and regulations, in con-
sultation with the Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management and the Attorney General, for 
implementation of this title; 
‘‘(3) provide guidance and assistance where ap-
propriate to facilitate compliance with this title; 
‘‘(4) review and, where necessary, assist des-
ignated agency ethics officers in providing advice to 
covered financial services regulators regarding com-
pliance with this title; and 
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126 
‘‘(5) if the Director determines that a violation 
of this title may have occurred, and in consultation 
with the designated agency ethics officer and the 
Counsel to the President, refer the compliance case 
to the United States Attorney for the District of Co-
lumbia for enforcement action. 
‘‘SEC. 605. PENALTIES AND INJUNCTIONS. 
‘‘(a) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any person who violates 
section 602 or 603 shall be fined under title 18, 
United States Code, imprisoned for not more than 
1 year, or both. 
‘‘(2) WILLFUL VIOLATIONS.—Any person who 
willfully violates section 602 or 603 shall be fined 
under title 18, United States Code, imprisoned for 
not more than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(b) CIVIL ENFORCEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General may 
bring a civil action in the appropriate United States 
district court against any person who violates, or 
who the Attorney General has reason to believe is 
engaging in conduct that violates, section 602 or 
603. 
‘‘(2) CIVIL PENALTY.— 
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127 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Upon proof by a pre-
ponderance of the evidence that a person vio-
lated section 602 or 603, the court shall impose 
a civil penalty of not more than the greater 
of— 
‘‘(i) $100,000 for each violation; or 
‘‘(ii) the amount of compensation the 
person received or was offered for the con-
duct constituting the violation. 
‘‘(B) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—A civil 
penalty under this subsection shall be in addi-
tion to any other criminal or civil statutory, 
common law, or administrative remedy, avail-
able to the United States or any other person. 
‘‘(3) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In a civil action 
brought under paragraph (1) against a person, 
the Attorney General may petition the court for 
an order prohibiting the person from engaging 
in conduct that violates section 602 or 603. The 
court may issue such an order if the court finds 
by a preponderance of the evidence that the 
conduct of the person violates section 602 or 
603. 
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128 
‘‘(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—The filing 
of a petition seeking injunctive relief under this 
paragraph shall not preclude any other remedy 
which is available by law to the United States 
or any other person.’’. 
SEC. 1204. PROHIBITION OF PROCUREMENT OFFICERS AC-
CEPTING EMPLOYMENT FROM GOVERNMENT 
CONTRACTORS. 
(a) EXPANSION OF PROHIBITION ON ACCEPTANCE 
BY FORMER OFFICIALS OF COMPENSATION FROM CON-
TRACTORS.—Section 2104 of title 41, United States Code, 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘or consultant’’ and in-
serting ‘‘consultant, lawyer, or lobbyist’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘one year’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2 years’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘person-
ally made for the Federal agency’’ and inserting 
‘‘participated personally and substantially in’’; 
and 
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129 
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION ON COMPENSATION FROM AFFILI-
ATES AND SUBCONTRACTORS.—A former official respon-
sible for a Government contract referred to in paragraph 
(1), (2), or (3) of subsection (a) shall be prohibited from 
accepting compensation for two years after awarding such 
contract from any division, affiliate, or subcontractor of 
the contractor.’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENT
FOR PROCUREMENT OFFICERS 
TO DISCLOSE JOB OFFERS MADE ON BEHALF OF REL-
ATIVES.—Section 2103(a) of title 41, United States Code, 
is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by in-
serting after ‘‘that official’’ the following: ‘‘, or for a rel-
ative (as defined in section 3110 of title 5) of that offi-
cial,’’. 
(c) REQUIREMENT
ON AWARD
OF GOVERNMENT 
CONTRACTS TO FORMER EMPLOYERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 21 of title 41, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
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130 
‘‘§ 2108. 
Prohibition 
on 
involvement 
by 
certain 
former contractor employees in procure-
ments 
‘‘An employee of the Federal Government may not 
be personally and substantially involved with any award 
of a contract to, or the administration of a contract award-
ed to, a contractor that is a former employer of the em-
ployee during the 2-year period beginning on the date on 
which the employee leaves the employment of the con-
tractor.’’. 
(2) TECHNICAL
AND
CONFORMING
AMEND-
MENT.—The table of sections for chapter 21 of title 
41, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘2108. Prohibition on involvement by certain former contractor employees in 
procurements.’’. 
(d) REGULATIONS.—The Administrator for Federal 
Procurement Policy and the Director of the Office of Man-
agement and Budget shall— 
(1) in consultation with the Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management and the Counsel to 
the President, promulgate regulations to carry out 
and ensure the enforcement of chapter 21 of title 
41, United States Code, as amended by this section; 
and 
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131 
(2) in consultation with designated agency eth-
ics officers (as defined under section 601 of the Eth-
ics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.)), 
monitor compliance with such chapter by individuals 
and agencies. 
SEC. 1205. REVOLVING DOOR RESTRICTIONS ON FINANCIAL 
SERVICES REGULATORS MOVING INTO THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 207 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (e) through (l) 
as subsections (f) through (m), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) RESTRICTIONS ON EMPLOYMENT FOR FINAN-
CIAL SERVICES REGULATORS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the restric-
tions set forth in subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d), 
a covered financial services regulator shall not— 
‘‘(A) during the 2-year period beginning on 
the date his or her employment as a covered fi-
nancial services regulator ceases— 
‘‘(i) knowingly act as agent or attor-
ney for, or otherwise represent, any other 
person 
for 
compensation 
(except 
the 
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132 
United States) in any formal or informal 
appearance before; 
‘‘(ii) with the intent to influence, 
make any oral or written communication 
on behalf of any other person (except the 
United States) to; or 
‘‘(iii) knowingly aid, advise, or assist 
in— 
‘‘(I) representing any other per-
son (except the United States) in any 
formal or informal appearance before; 
or 
‘‘(II) making, with the intent to 
influence, any oral or written commu-
nication on behalf of any other person 
(except the United States) to, 
any court of the United States, or any offi-
cer or employee thereof, in connection with 
any judicial or other proceeding, which was 
actually pending under his or her official 
responsibility as a covered financial serv-
ices regulator during the 1-year period 
ending on the date his or her employment 
as a covered financial services regulator 
ceases or in which he or she participated 
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133 
personally and substantially as a covered 
financial services regulator; or 
‘‘(B) during the 2-year period beginning on 
the date his or her employment as a covered fi-
nancial services regulator ceases— 
‘‘(i) knowingly act as a lobbyist or 
agent for, or otherwise represent, any 
other person for compensation (except the 
United States) in any formal or informal 
appearance before; 
‘‘(ii) with the intent to influence, 
make any oral or written communication 
or conduct any lobbying activities on behalf 
of any other person (except the United 
States) to; or 
‘‘(iii) knowingly aid, advise, or assist 
in— 
‘‘(I) representing any other per-
son (except the United States) in any 
formal or informal appearance before; 
or 
‘‘(II) making, with the intent to 
influence, any oral or written commu-
nication or conduct any lobbying ac-
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134 
tivities on behalf of any other person 
(except the United States) to, 
any department or agency of the executive 
branch or Congress (including any com-
mittee of Congress), or any officer or em-
ployee thereof, in connection with any mat-
ter which is pending before the depart-
ment, agency, or Congress. 
‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any person who violates para-
graph (1) shall be punished as provided in section 
216. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘covered financial services 
regulator’ has the meaning given that term 
under section 601 of the Ethics in Government 
Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.); and 
‘‘(B) the terms ‘lobbyist’ and ‘lobbying ac-
tivities’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995 (2 U.S.C. 1602).’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 103(a) of the Honest Leadership 
and Open Government Act of 2007 (2 U.S.C. 
4702(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 207(e)’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘section 207(f)’’. 
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135 
(2) Section 207 of title 18, United States Code, 
as amended by subsection (a), is amended— 
(A) in subsection (g), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘or (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘or (f)’’; 
(B) in subsection (j)(1)(B), as so redesig-
nated, by striking ‘‘subsection (f)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘subsection (g)’’; and 
(C) in subsection (k), as so redesignated— 
(i) in paragraph (2), in the matter 
preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e), and (f)’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and 
(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e), and (f)’’; and 
(iii) in paragraph (7)— 
(I) in subparagraph (A), by strik-
ing ‘‘and (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e), and 
(f)’’; and 
(II) in subparagraph (B)(ii), in 
the matter preceding subclause (I), by 
striking ‘‘subsections (c), (d), or (e)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection (c), (d), (e), 
or (f)’’. 
(3) Section 141(b)(3) of the Trade Act of 1974 
(19 U.S.C. 2171(b)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 207(f)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘207(g)(3)’’. 
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136 
(4) Section 7802(b)(3)(B) of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘and (f) 
of section 207’’ and inserting ‘‘and (g) of section 
207’’. 
(5) Section 106(p)(6)(I)(ii) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and (f) of sec-
tion 207’’ and inserting ‘‘and (g) of section 207’’. 
SEC. 1206. RESTRICTIONS ON FEDERAL EXAMINERS AND 
SUPERVISORS OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 10(k) of the Federal De-
posit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(k)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading— 
(A) by striking ‘‘One-Year’’ and inserting 
‘‘Two-Year’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Examiners’’ and inserting 
‘‘Examiners and Supervisors’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking subparagraph (B) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(B) served— 
‘‘(i) not less than 2 months during the 
final 12 months of the employment of the 
person with such agency or entity as the 
senior examiner (or a functionally equiva-
lent position) of a depository institution or 
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137 
depository institution holding company 
with continuing, broad responsibility for 
the examination (or inspection) of that de-
pository institution or depository institu-
tion holding company on behalf of the rel-
evant agency or Federal reserve bank; or 
‘‘(ii) as a supervisor of the senior ex-
aminer with responsibility for managing 
the oversight of not more than 5 deposi-
tory institutions or depository institution 
holding companies on behalf of the rel-
evant agency or Federal reserve bank; 
and’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), 
by striking ‘‘1 year’’ and inserting ‘‘2 
years’’; 
(ii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘or’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(iii) in clause (ii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
and 
(iv) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
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138 
‘‘(iii) a business entity, firm, or asso-
ciation that represents the depository insti-
tution or depository institution holding 
company for compensation.’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 
(6) as paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION OF PENALTIES FOR SUPER-
VISORS.—A supervisor of a large financial service 
regulatory agency or a supervisor of a senior exam-
iner shall be subject to the penalties described in 
paragraph (7) if the supervisor of the senior exam-
iner or the senior examiner knowingly accepts com-
pensation during the period beginning on the date 
on which the service of the supervisor or senior ex-
aminer is terminated and ending on the date that is 
2 years after the date on which the service on which 
the service of the supervisor or senior examiner is 
terminated— 
‘‘(A) as— 
‘‘(i) an employee; 
‘‘(ii) an officer; 
‘‘(iii) a director; or 
‘‘(iv) a consultant; and 
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139 
‘‘(B) from— 
‘‘(i) a depository institution; 
‘‘(ii) a depository institution holding 
company that is designated by the Finan-
cial Stability Oversight Council as a sys-
temically important financial market utility 
under section 804 of the Payment, Clear-
ing, and Settlement Supervision Act of 
2010 (12 U.S.C. 5463); or 
‘‘(iii) a business entity, firm, or asso-
ciation that represents an institution de-
scribed in clause (ii) for compensation.’’; 
(5) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘or other company.’’ and inserting ‘‘or other 
company, firm, or association.’’; and 
(6) in the matter preceding clause (i) of sub-
paragraph (A) of paragraph (7), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘other company’’ and inserting ‘‘other 
company, firm, or association’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
Section 10(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 
U.S.C. 1820(k)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘paragraph 
(6)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (7)’’; 
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140 
(2) in paragraph (5)(A), as so redesignated, by 
inserting ‘‘and paragraph (2)’’ before the period at 
the end; and 
(3) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘subject to paragraph 
(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘subject to paragraph 
(1) or (2)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)(C)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)(C) or para-
graph (2)’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘person described in 
paragraph (1)’’ and inserting ‘‘person de-
scribed in paragraph (1) or (2)’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘paragraph (2)’’ be-
fore the period at the end. 
Subtitle D—Disclosure of Visitor 
Access Records 
SEC. 1301. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Making Access 
Records Available to Lead American Government Open-
ness Act’’ or the ‘‘MAR–A–LAGO Act’’. 
SEC. 1302. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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141 
(1) Beginning in 2009, the Obama Administra-
tion instituted a policy to release the visitor access 
records for the White House complex. 
(2) This policy was responsible for making pub-
lic the names of nearly 6,000,000 visitors to the 
White House in the 8 years of the Obama adminis-
tration. 
(3) This policy provided the people of the 
United States with insight into who influences the 
White House and transparency regarding efforts by 
lobbyists to effect policies, legislation, and presi-
dential actions. 
(4) To date, the Trump Administration has not 
indicated whether it will continue the policy of pub-
licly releasing White House visitor access records. 
(5) Since taking office on January 20, 2017, 
President Trump has conducted official business not 
only in the White House, but also at several of his 
privately owned clubs and resorts. 
(6) President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in 
Palm Beach, Florida, has been dubbed the ‘‘Winter 
White House’’ and the ‘‘Southern White House’’. 
(7) President Trump has spent 5 of his first 9 
weekends in office at Mar-a-Lago. 
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142 
(8) Mar-a-Lago is a private membership facility 
open to members, their guests, and others who have 
been invited as guests for special events. 
(9) Visitors to Mar-a-Lago do not undergo the 
same background checks as White House visitors 
and visitor access records to the club have not been 
released to the public. 
(10) The President has conducted official busi-
ness and hosted international leaders at Mar-a-Lago. 
(11) Media reports have shown President 
Trump and members of his Cabinet at Mar-a-Lago 
and nearby Trump International Golf Club inter-
acting with members and guests, providing access 
unavailable to the general public. 
(12) President Trump owns many other prop-
erties that offer similar amenities and membership- 
only access where he is likely to conduct official 
business during his term in office. 
(13) On March 11, 2017, President Trump 
hosted several members of his Cabinet at his Trump 
National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia, to 
discuss homeland security, health care, and the 
economy according to media reports. 
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143 
(14) Media reports have indicated that the 
President may use his Bedminster, New Jersey, re-
sort as a ‘‘Summer White House’’. 
(15) The people of the United States expect 
and deserve transparency in government. The policy 
to release visitor access records instituted by the 
previous 
administration 
appropriately 
balanced 
transparency with the need for confidentiality in 
government actions. 
(16) To the extent Mar-a-Lago and any other 
private facilities become locations where the Presi-
dent conducts business and interacts with individ-
uals who are not government officials, the same dis-
closures should apply. 
SEC. 1303. IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFLUENTIAL VISITOR 
ACCESS RECORDS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED LOCATION.—The term ‘‘covered 
location’’ means— 
(A) the White House; 
(B) the residence of the Vice President; 
and 
(C) any other location at which the Presi-
dent or the Vice President regularly conducts 
official business. 
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144 
(2) COVERED
RECORDS.—The term ‘‘covered 
records’’ means information relating to a visit at a 
covered location, which shall include— 
(A) the name of each visitor at the covered 
location; 
(B) the name of each individual with whom 
each visitor described in subparagraph (A) met 
at the covered location; and 
(C) the purpose of the visit. 
(b) REQUIREMENT.—Except as provided in sub-
section (c), not later than 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the President shall establish and update, 
every 90 days, a publicly available database that contains 
covered records for the preceding 30-day period. 
(c) EXCEPTIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall not in-
clude in the database established under subsection 
(b) any covered record— 
(A) the posting of which would implicate 
personal privacy or law enforcement concerns or 
threaten national security; or 
(B) relating to a purely personal guest at 
a covered location. 
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(2) SENSITIVE MEETINGS.—With respect to a 
particularly sensitive meeting at a covered location, 
the President shall— 
(A) include the number of visitors at the 
covered location in the database established 
under subsection (b); and 
(B) post the applicable covered records in 
the database established under subsection (b) 
when the President determines that release of 
the covered records is no longer sensitive. 
Subtitle E—Presidential Conflicts 
of Interest 
SEC. 1401. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘Presidential Con-
flicts of Interest Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 1402. DIVESTITURE OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTER-
ESTS OF THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESI-
DENT THAT POSE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF 
INTEREST. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section— 
(A) the term ‘‘conflict-free holding’’ means 
a 
financial 
interest 
described 
in 
section 
102(f)(8) of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.); 
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(B) the term ‘‘financial interest posing a 
potential conflict of interest’’ means a financial 
interest of the President, the Vice President, 
the spouse of the President or Vice President, 
or a minor child of the President or Vice Presi-
dent, as applicable, that— 
(i) would constitute a financial inter-
est described in subsection (a) of section 
208 of title 18, United States Code— 
(I) if— 
(aa) for purposes of such 
section 208, the terms ‘‘officer’’ 
and ‘‘employee’’ included the 
President and the Vice President; 
and 
(bb) the President or Vice 
President, as applicable, partici-
pated as described in subsection 
(a) of such section 208 in rela-
tion to such financial interest; 
and 
(II) determined without regard to 
any exception under subsection (b) of 
such section 208; or 
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(ii) may constitute a present, emolu-
ment, office, or title, of any kind whatever, 
from any king, prince, or foreign state (in-
cluding from an entity owned or controlled 
by a foreign government), within the 
meaning of article I, section 9 of the Con-
stitution of the United States; 
(C) the term ‘‘qualified blind trust’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 
102(f)(3) of the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), unless otherwise speci-
fied in this Act; and 
(D) the term ‘‘tax return’’— 
(i) means any Federal income tax re-
turn and any amendment or supplement 
thereto, including supporting schedules, at-
tachments, or lists which are supplemental 
to, or part of, the return for the taxable 
year; and 
(ii) includes any information return 
that reports information that does or may 
affect the liability for tax for the taxable 
year. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT 
ACT
OF
1978.—For purposes of the definition of 
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‘‘qualified blind trust’’ in this section, the term ‘‘su-
pervising ethics officer’’ in section 102(f)(3) of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) 
means the Director of the Office of Government 
Ethics. 
(b) INITIAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE.— 
(1) SUBMISSION OF DISCLOSURE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 
after assuming the office of President or Vice 
President, respectively, the President and Vice 
President shall submit to Congress and the Di-
rector of the Office of Government Ethics a dis-
closure of financial interests. 
(B) APPLICATION TO SITTING PRESIDENT 
AND VICE PRESIDENT.—For any individual who 
is serving as the President or Vice President on 
the date of enactment of this Act, the disclosure 
of financial interests shall be submitted to Con-
gress and the Director of the Office of Govern-
ment Ethics not later than 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) CONTENTS.— 
(A) PRESIDENT.—The disclosure of finan-
cial interests submitted under paragraph (1) by 
the President shall— 
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(i) describe in detail each financial in-
terest of the President, the spouse of the 
President, or a minor child of the Presi-
dent; 
(ii) at a minimum, include the infor-
mation relating to each such financial in-
terest that is required for reports under 
section 102 of the Ethics in Government 
Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.); and 
(iii) include the tax returns filed by or 
on behalf of the President for— 
(I) the 3 most recent taxable 
years; and 
(II) each taxable year for which 
an audit of the return by the Internal 
Revenue Service is pending on the 
date the report is filed. 
(B) VICE PRESIDENT.—The disclosure of 
financial interests submitted under paragraph 
(1) by the Vice President shall— 
(i) describe in detail each financial in-
terest of the Vice President, the spouse of 
the Vice President, or a minor child of the 
Vice President; 
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(ii) at a minimum, include the infor-
mation relating to each such financial in-
terest that is required for reports under 
section 102 of the Ethics in Government 
Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.); and 
(iii) include the tax returns filed by or 
on behalf of the Vice President for— 
(I) the 3 most recent taxable 
years; and 
(II) each taxable year for which 
an audit of the return by the Internal 
Revenue Service is pending on the 
date the report is filed. 
(c) DIVESTITURE OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS POSING 
A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The President, the Vice 
President, the spouse of the President or Vice Presi-
dent, and any minor child of the President or Vice 
President shall divest of any financial interest posing 
a potential conflict of interest by transferring such 
interest to a qualified blind trust. 
(2) TRUSTEE DUTIES.—Within a reasonable pe-
riod of time after the date a financial interest is 
transferred to a qualified blind trust under para-
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151 
graph (1), the trustee of the qualified blind trust 
shall— 
(A) sell the financial interest; and 
(B) use the proceeds of the sale of the fi-
nancial interest to purchase conflict-free hold-
ings. 
(d) REVIEW BY OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of 
Government Ethics shall submit to Congress, the 
President, and the Vice President an annual report 
regarding the financial interests of the President, 
the Vice President, the spouse of the President or 
Vice President, and any minor child of the President 
or Vice President. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) indicate whether any financial interest 
of the President, the Vice President, the spouse 
of the President or Vice President, or a minor 
child of the President or Vice President is a fi-
nancial interest posing a potential conflict of in-
terest; 
(B) evaluate whether any previously held 
financial interest of the President, the Vice 
President, the spouse of the President or Vice 
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152 
President, or a minor child of the President or 
Vice President that was a financial interest pos-
ing a potential conflict of interest was divested 
in accordance with subsection (c); and 
(C) redact such information as the Direc-
tor of the Office of Government Ethics deter-
mines necessary for preventing identity theft, 
such as social security numbers or taxpayer 
identification numbers. 
(e) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General, the 
attorney general of any State, or any person ag-
grieved by any violation of subsection (c) may seek 
declaratory or injunctive relief in a court of com-
petent jurisdiction if— 
(A) the Director of the Office of Govern-
ment Ethics is unable to issue a report indi-
cating whether the President or the Vice Presi-
dent is in substantial compliance with sub-
section (c); or 
(B) there is probable cause to believe that 
the President or the Vice President has not 
complied with subsection (c). 
(2) FAIR MARKET VALUE.—In granting injunc-
tive relief to the plaintiff, the court shall ensure that 
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153 
any divestment procedure shall ensure the fair mar-
ket return for any asset that is liquidated. 
SEC. 1403. RECUSAL OF APPOINTEES. 
Section 208 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e)(1) Any officer or employee appointed by the 
President shall recuse himself or herself from any par-
ticular matter involving specific parties in which a party 
to that matter is— 
‘‘(A) the President who appointed the officer or 
employee, which shall include any entity in which the 
President has a substantial interest; or 
‘‘(B) the spouse of the President who appointed 
the officer or employee, which shall include any enti-
ty in which the spouse of the President has a sub-
stantial interest. 
‘‘(2)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), if an officer or 
employee is recused under paragraph (1), a career ap-
pointee in the agency of the officer or employee shall per-
form the functions and duties of the officer or employee 
with respect to the matter. 
‘‘(B)(i) In this subparagraph, the term ‘Commission’ 
means a board, commission, or other agency for which the 
authority of the agency is vested in more than 1 member. 
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154 
‘‘(ii) If the recusal of a member of a Commission 
from a matter under paragraph (1) would result in there 
not being a statutorily required quorum of members of the 
Commission available to participate in the matter, not-
withstanding such statute or any other provision of law, 
the members of the Commission not recused under para-
graph (1) may— 
‘‘(I) consider the matter without regard to the 
quorum requirement under such statute; 
‘‘(II) delegate the authorities and responsibil-
ities of the Commission with respect to the matter 
to a subcommittee of the Commission; or 
‘‘(III) designate an officer or employee of the 
Commission who was not appointed by the President 
who appointed the member of the Commission 
recused from the matter to exercise the authorities 
and duties of the recused member with respect to 
the matter. 
‘‘(3) Any officer or employee who negligently violates 
paragraph (1) shall be subject to the penalties set forth 
in section 216. 
‘‘(4) For purposes of this section, the term ‘particular 
matter’ shall have the meaning given the term in section 
207(i).’’. 
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155 
SEC. 1404. CONTRACTS BY THE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESI-
DENT. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 431 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ‘‘the 
President, Vice President, or a’’ after 
‘‘Contracts by’’; and 
(2) in the first undesignated paragraph, by in-
serting ‘‘the President or Vice President,’’ after 
‘‘Whoever, being’’. 
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
sections for chapter 23 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by striking the item relating to section 431 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘431. Contracts by the President, Vice President, or a Member of Congress.’’. 
SEC. 1405. PRESIDENTIAL TAX TRANSPARENCY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title I of the Ethics in Govern-
ment Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended— 
(1) by inserting after section 102 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 102A. DISCLOSURE OF TAX RETURNS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘covered candidate’ means an in-
dividual— 
‘‘(A) required to file a report under section 
101(c); and 
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156 
‘‘(B) who is nominated by a major party 
as a candidate for the office of President; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘covered individual’ means— 
‘‘(A) a President required to file a report 
under subsection (a) or (d) of section 101; and 
‘‘(B) an individual who occupies the office 
of the President required to file a report under 
section 101(e); 
‘‘(3) the term ‘major party’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 9002 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986; and 
‘‘(4) the term ‘income tax return’ means, with 
respect to any covered candidate or covered indi-
vidual, any return (within the meaning of section 
6103(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) re-
lated to Federal income taxes, but does not in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) information returns issued to persons 
other than such covered candidate or covered 
individual, and 
‘‘(B) declarations of estimated tax. 
‘‘(b) DISCLOSURE.— 
‘‘(1) COVERED INDIVIDUALS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the in-
formation described in subsections (a) and (b) 
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157 
of section 102, a covered individual shall in-
clude in each report required to be filed under 
this title a copy of the income tax returns of the 
covered individual for the 3 most recent taxable 
years for which a return have been filed with 
the Internal Revenue Service as of the date on 
which the report is filed. 
‘‘(B) FAILURE
TO
DISCLOSE.—If an in-
come tax return is not disclosed under subpara-
graph (A), the Director of the Office of Govern-
ment Ethics shall submit to the Secretary of 
the Treasury a request that the Secretary of 
the Treasury provide the Director of the Office 
of Government Ethics with a copy of the in-
come tax return. 
‘‘(C) PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.—Each income 
tax return submitted under this paragraph shall 
be filed with the Director of the Office of Gov-
ernment Ethics and made publicly available in 
the same manner as the information described 
in subsections (a) and (b) of section 102. 
‘‘(D) REDACTION OF CERTAIN INFORMA-
TION.—Before making any income tax return 
submitted under this paragraph available to the 
public, the Director of the Office of Government 
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Ethics shall redact such information as the Di-
rector of the Office of Government Ethics, in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury 
(or a delegate of the Secretary), determines ap-
propriate. 
‘‘(2) CANDIDATES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 15 
days after the date on which a covered can-
didate is nominated, the covered candidate shall 
amend the report filed by the covered candidate 
under section 101(c) with the Federal Election 
Commission to include a copy of the income tax 
returns of the covered candidate for the 3 most 
recent taxable years for which a return has 
been filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 
‘‘(B) FAILURE
TO
DISCLOSE.—If an in-
come tax return is not disclosed under subpara-
graph (A) the Federal Election Commission 
shall submit to the Secretary of the Treasury a 
request that the Secretary of the Treasury pro-
vide the Federal Election Commission with the 
income tax return. 
‘‘(C) PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.—Each income 
tax return submitted under this paragraph shall 
be filed with the Federal Election Commission 
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159 
and made publicly available in the same manner 
as the information described in section 102(b). 
‘‘(D) REDACTION OF CERTAIN INFORMA-
TION.—Before making any income tax return 
submitted under this paragraph available to the 
public, the Federal Election Commission shall 
redact such information as the Federal Election 
Commission, in consultation with the Secretary 
of the Treasury (or a delegate of the Secretary) 
and the Director of the Office of Government 
Ethics, determines appropriate. 
‘‘(3) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
SITTING
PRESI-
DENTS.—Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the President shall submit 
to the Director of the Office of Government Ethics 
a copy of the income tax returns described in para-
graph (1)(A).’’; and 
(2) in section 104— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1), in the first sen-
tence, by inserting ‘‘or any individual who 
knowingly and willfully falsifies or who 
knowingly and willfully fails to file an in-
come tax return that such individual is re-
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quired to disclose pursuant to section 
102A’’ before the period; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(I) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘or 
falsify any income tax return that 
such person is required to disclose 
under section 102A’’ before the semi-
colon; and 
(II) in clause (ii), by inserting 
‘‘or fail to file any income tax return 
that such person is required to dis-
closed under section 102A’’ before the 
period; 
(B) in subsection (b), in the first sentence 
by inserting ‘‘or willfully failed to file or has 
willfully falsified an income tax return required 
to be disclosed under section 102A’’ before the 
period; 
(C) in subsection (c), by inserting ‘‘or fail-
ing to file or falsifying an income tax return re-
quired to be disclosed under section 102A’’ be-
fore the period; and 
(D) in subsection (d)(1)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘or files an income 
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tax return required to be disclosed under 
section 102A’’ after ‘‘title’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
‘‘or such income tax return, as applicable,’’ 
after ‘‘report’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 6103(l) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(23) DISCLOSURE OF RETURN INFORMATION 
OF PRESIDENTS AND CERTAIN PRESIDENTIAL CAN-
DIDATES.— 
‘‘(A) DISCLOSURE OF RETURNS OF PRESI-
DENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
shall, upon written request from the Direc-
tor of the Office of Government Ethics 
pursuant to section 102A(b)(1)(B) of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978, provide 
to officers and employees of the Office of 
Government Ethics a copy of any income 
tax return of the President which is re-
quired to be filed under section 102A of 
such Act. 
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162 
‘‘(ii) DISCLOSURE
TO
PUBLIC.—The 
Director of the Office of Government Eth-
ics may disclose to the public the income 
tax return of any President which is re-
quired to be filed with the Director pursu-
ant to section 102A of the Ethics in Gov-
ernment Act of 1978. 
‘‘(B) DISCLOSURE OF RETURNS OF CER-
TAIN CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
shall, upon written request from the Chair-
man of the Federal Election Commission 
pursuant to section 102A(b)(2)(B) of the 
Ethics in Government Act of 1978, provide 
to officers and employees of the Federal 
Election Commission copies of the applica-
ble returns of any person who has been 
nominated as a candidate of a major party 
(as defined in section 9002(a)) for the of-
fice of President. 
‘‘(ii) DISCLOSURE
TO
PUBLIC.—The 
Federal Election Commission may disclose 
to the public applicable returns of any per-
son who has been nominated as a can-
didate of a major party (as defined in sec-
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163 
tion 9002(6)) for the office of President 
and which is required to be filed with the 
Commission pursuant to section 102A of 
the Ethics in Government Act. 
‘‘(C) APPLICABLE
RETURNS.—For pur-
poses of this paragraph, the term ‘applicable re-
turns’ means, with respect to any candidate for 
the office of President, income tax returns for 
the 3 most recent taxable years for which a re-
turn has been filed as of the date of the nomi-
nation.’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
6103(p)(4) of such Code, in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A) and in subparagraph (F)(ii), is 
amended by striking ‘‘or (22)’’ and inserting ‘‘(22), 
or (23)’’ each place it appears. 
SEC. 1406. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING VIOLATIONS. 
It is the sense of Congress that a violation of section 
1402 or the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 
App.) by the President or the Vice President would con-
stitute a high crime or misdemeanor under article II, sec-
tion 4 of the Constitution of the United States. 
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SEC. 1407. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this subtitle or an amendment made by 
this subtitle shall be construed to violate the Constitution 
of the United States. 
TITLE II—PUBLIC FINANCING 
SEC. 2001. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Empowering Citizens 
Act’’. 
Subtitle A—Reform of Presidential 
Election Financing 
PART 1—PRIMARY ELECTIONS 
SEC. 2101. INCREASE IN AND MODIFICATIONS TO MATCH-
ING PAYMENTS. 
(a) INCREASE AND MODIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of section 
9034(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘an amount equal to the 
amount of each contribution’’ and inserting ‘‘an 
amount equal to 600 percent of the amount of 
each matchable contribution (disregarding any 
amount of contributions from any person to the 
extent that the total of the amounts contributed 
by such person for the election exceeds $200)’’; 
and 
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165 
(B) by striking ‘‘authorized committees’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘$250’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘authorized committees’’. 
(2) 
MATCHABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS.—Section 
9034 of such Code is amended— 
(A) by striking the last sentence of sub-
section (a); and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) MATCHABLE CONTRIBUTION DEFINED.—For 
purposes of this section and section 9033(b)— 
‘‘(1) MATCHABLE
CONTRIBUTION.—The term 
‘matchable contribution’ means, with respect to the 
nomination for election to the office of President of 
the United States, a contribution by an individual to 
a candidate or an authorized committee of a can-
didate with respect to which the candidate has cer-
tified in writing that— 
‘‘(A) the individual making such contribu-
tion has not made aggregate contributions (in-
cluding such matchable contribution) to such 
candidate and the authorized committees of 
such candidate in excess of $1,000 for the elec-
tion; 
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166 
‘‘(B) such candidate and the authorized 
committees of such candidate will not accept 
contributions from such individual (including 
such matchable contribution) aggregating more 
than the amount described in subparagraph 
(A); and 
‘‘(C) such contribution was not— 
‘‘(i) forwarded from the contributor 
by any person other than an individual, or 
‘‘(ii) received by the candidate or com-
mittee from a contributor or contributors, 
but credited by the committee or candidate 
to another person who is not an individual 
through records, designations, or other 
means of recognizing (whether in writing 
or not in writing) that a certain amount of 
money has been raised by such person. 
‘‘(2) CONTRIBUTION.—For purposes of this 
subsection, the term ‘contribution’ means a gift of 
money made by a written instrument which identi-
fies the individual making the contribution by full 
name and mailing address, but does not include a 
subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money, or 
anything of value or anything described in subpara-
graph (B), (C), or (D) of section 9032(4).’’. 
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‘‘(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment de-
termined under section 1(f)(3) for the cal-
endar year following the year which such 
applicable period begins, determined by 
substituting ‘calendar year 2018’ for ‘cal-
endar year 1992’ in subparagraph (B) 
thereof. 
‘‘(B) APPLICABLE PERIOD.—For purposes 
of this paragraph, the term ‘applicable period’ 
means the 4-year period beginning with the 
first day following the date of the general elec-
tion for the office of President and ending on 
the date of the next such general election. 
‘‘(C) ROUNDING.—If any amount as ad-
justed under subparagraph (1) is not a multiple 
of $10,000, such amount shall be rounded to 
the nearest multiple of $10,000.’’. 
SEC. 2102. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MATCHING 
PAYMENTS. 
(a) AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTIONS PER 
STATE; DISREGARDING OF AMOUNTS CONTRIBUTED IN 
EXCESS OF $200.—Section 9033(b)(3) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended— 
(1) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$5,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$25,000’’; and 
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169 
(2) by striking ‘‘20 States’’ and inserting the 
following: ‘‘20 States (disregarding any amount of 
contributions from any such resident to the extent 
that the total of the amounts contributed by such 
resident for the election exceeds $200)’’. 
(b) CONTRIBUTION LIMIT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Paragraph (4) of section 
9033(b) of such Code is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) the candidate and the authorized commit-
tees of the candidate will not accept aggregate con-
tributions from any person with respect to the nomi-
nation for election to the office of President of the 
United States in excess of $1,000 for the election.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) Section 9033(b) of such Code is 
amended by adding at the end the following 
new flush sentence: 
‘‘For purposes of paragraph (4), the term ‘contribution’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 301(8) of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.’’. 
(B) Section 9032(4) of such Code, as 
amended by section 2101(a)(3)(A) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘or 9033(b)’’ after ‘‘9034’’. 
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170 
(c) BAN ON ACCEPTANCE OF BUNDLED CONTRIBU-
TIONS.—Section 9033(b) of such Code, as amended by 
subsection (b), is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘, and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) the candidate and the authorized com-
mittee of the candidate will not accept— 
‘‘(A) any bundled contribution (as defined 
in section 304(i)(8) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971) forwarded by or cred-
ited to a person described in section 304(i)(7) 
of such Act; or 
‘‘(B) any contribution forwarded by or 
credited to a multicandidate political committee 
described in section 315(a)(4) of such Act 
which would be treated as a bundled contribu-
tion under section 304(i)(8) of such Act if it 
were forwarded by or credited to a person de-
scribed in section 304(i)(7) of such Act.’’. 
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171 
(d) PARTICIPATION IN SYSTEM FOR PAYMENTS FOR 
GENERAL ELECTION.—Section 9033(b) of such Code, as 
amended by subsection (c), is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(4); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (5) and inserting ‘‘, and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(6) if the candidate is nominated by a political 
party for election to the office of President, the can-
didate will apply for and accept payments with re-
spect to the general election for such office in ac-
cordance with chapter 95.’’. 
SEC. 2103. REPEAL OF EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 9035 of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(a) PERSONAL EXPENDITURE LIMITATION.—No 
candidate shall knowingly make expenditures from his per-
sonal funds, or the personal funds of his immediate family, 
in connection with his campaign for nomination for elec-
tion to the office of President in excess of, in the aggre-
gate, $50,000.’’. 
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172 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (1) of 
section 9033(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) the candidate will comply with the per-
sonal expenditure limitation under section 9035,’’. 
SEC. 2104. PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY OF MATCHING PAY-
MENTS. 
Section 9032(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by striking ‘‘the beginning of the cal-
endar year in which a general election for the office of 
President of the United States will be held’’ and inserting 
‘‘the date that is 6 months prior to the date of the earliest 
State primary election’’. 
SEC. 2105. EXAMINATION AND AUDITS OF MATCHABLE CON-
TRIBUTIONS. 
Section 9038(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by inserting ‘‘and matchable contribu-
tions accepted by’’ after ‘‘qualified campaign expenses of’’. 
SEC. 2106. MODIFICATION TO LIMITATION ON CONTRIBU-
TIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAN-
DIDATES. 
Section 315(a)(6) of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(6)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘calendar year’’ and inserting ‘‘four-year election 
cycle’’. 
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173 
PART 2—GENERAL ELECTIONS 
SEC. 2111. MODIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 
FOR PUBLIC FINANCING. 
Subsection (a) of section 9003 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to be eligible to receive 
any payments under section 9006, the candidates of a po-
litical party in a presidential election shall meet the fol-
lowing requirements: 
‘‘(1) PARTICIPATION
IN
PRIMARY
PAYMENT 
SYSTEM.—The candidate for President received pay-
ments under chapter 96 for the campaign for nomi-
nation for election to be President. 
‘‘(2) AGREEMENTS
WITH
COMMISSION.—The 
candidates, in writing— 
‘‘(A) agree to obtain and furnish to the 
Commission such evidence as it may request of 
the qualified campaign expenses of such can-
didates, 
‘‘(B) agree to keep and furnish to the 
Commission such records, books, and other in-
formation as it may request, and 
‘‘(C) agree to an audit and examination by 
the Commission under section 9007 and to pay 
any amounts required to be paid under such 
section. 
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‘‘(3) BAN ON BUNDLED CONTRIBUTIONS.—The 
candidates certify to the Commission, under penalty 
of perjury and within such time prior to the day of 
the presidential election as the Commission shall 
prescribe by rules or regulations, that the candidates 
and the authorized committees of such candidates 
will not accept— 
‘‘(A) any bundled contribution (as defined 
in section 304(i)(8) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971) forwarded by or cred-
ited to a person described in section 304(i)(7) 
of such Act; or 
‘‘(B) any contribution forwarded by or 
credited to a multicandidate political committee 
described in section 315(a)(4) of such Act 
which would be treated as a bundled contribu-
tion under section 304(i)(8) of such Act if it 
were forwarded by or credited to a person de-
scribed in section 304(i)(7) of such Act.’’. 
SEC. 2112. REPEAL OF EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS AND 
USE OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBU-
TIONS. 
(a) USE OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS 
WITHOUT EXPENDITURE LIMITS; APPLICATION OF SAME 
REQUIREMENTS FOR MAJOR, MINOR, AND NEW PAR-
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175 
TIES.—Section 9003 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by striking subsections (b) and (c) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) USE OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO DEFRAY EXPENSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to be eligible to 
receive any payments under section 9006, the can-
didates of a party in a presidential election shall cer-
tify to the Commission, under penalty of perjury, 
that— 
‘‘(A) such candidates and their authorized 
committees have not and will not accept any 
contributions to defray qualified campaign ex-
penses other than— 
‘‘(i) qualified campaign contributions, 
and 
‘‘(ii) contributions to the extent nec-
essary to make up any deficiency payments 
received out of the fund on account of the 
application of section 9006(c), and 
‘‘(B) such candidates and their authorized 
committees have not and will not accept any 
contribution to defray expenses which would be 
qualified campaign expenses but for subpara-
graph (C) of section 9002(11). 
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176 
‘‘(2) TIMING
OF
CERTIFICATION.—The can-
didate shall make the certification required under 
this subsection at the same time the candidate 
makes the certification required under subsection 
(a)(3).’’. 
(b) DEFINITION
OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CON-
TRIBUTION.—Section 9002 of such Code is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION.— 
The term ‘qualified campaign contribution’ means, 
with respect to any election for the office of Presi-
dent of the United States, a contribution from an in-
dividual to a candidate or an authorized committee 
of a candidate which— 
‘‘(A) does not exceed $1,000 for the elec-
tion; and 
‘‘(B) with respect to which the candidate 
has certified in writing that— 
‘‘(i) the individual making such con-
tribution has not made aggregate contribu-
tions (including such qualified contribu-
tion) to such candidate and the authorized 
committees of such candidate in excess of 
the amount described in subparagraph (A), 
and 
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177 
‘‘(ii) such candidate and the author-
ized committees of such candidate will not 
accept contributions from such individual 
(including such qualified contribution) ag-
gregating more than the amount described 
in subparagraph (A) with respect to such 
election.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) REPEAL OF EXPENDITURE LIMITS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 315 of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30116) is amended by striking subsection (b). 
(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 
315(c) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30116(c)) is 
amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by striking 
‘‘, (b)’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2)(B)(i), by striking 
‘‘subsections (b) and (d)’’ and inserting 
‘‘subsection (d)’’. 
(2) REPEAL OF REPAYMENT REQUIREMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 9007(b) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by 
striking paragraph (2) and redesignating para-
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178 
graphs (3), (4), and (5) as paragraphs (2), (3), 
and (4), respectively. 
(B) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Para-
graph (2) of section 9007(b) of such Code, as 
redesignated by subparagraph (A), is amend-
ed— 
(i) by striking ‘‘a major party’’ and 
inserting ‘‘a party’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘qualified contribu-
tions and’’ after ‘‘contributions (other 
than’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘(other than qualified 
campaign expenses with respect to which 
payment is required under paragraph 
(2))’’. 
(3) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.— 
(A) REPEAL OF PENALTY FOR EXCESS EX-
PENSES.—Section 9012 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended by striking subsection 
(a). 
(B) PENALTY FOR ACCEPTANCE OF DIS-
ALLOWED
CONTRIBUTIONS; APPLICATION
OF 
SAME PENALTY FOR CANDIDATES OF MAJOR, 
MINOR, AND NEW PARTIES.—Subsection (b) of 
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179 
section 9012 of such Code is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(b) CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ACCEPTANCE OF DISALLOWED CONTRIBU-
TIONS.—It shall be unlawful for an eligible can-
didate of a party in a presidential election or any of 
his authorized committees knowingly and willfully to 
accept any contribution to defray qualified campaign 
expenses, except to the extent necessary to make up 
any deficiency in payments received out of the fund 
on account of the application of section 9006(c), or 
to defray expenses which would be qualified cam-
paign expenses but for subparagraph (C) of section 
9002(11). 
‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any person who violates para-
graph (1) shall be fined not more than $5,000, or 
imprisoned not more than one year, or both. In the 
case of a violation by an authorized committee, any 
officer or member of such committee who knowingly 
and willfully consents to such violation shall be fined 
not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than 
one year, or both.’’. 
SEC. 2113. MATCHING PAYMENTS AND OTHER MODIFICA-
TIONS TO PAYMENT AMOUNTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
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180 
(1) AMOUNT OF PAYMENTS; APPLICATION OF 
SAME AMOUNT FOR CANDIDATES OF MAJOR, MINOR, 
AND NEW PARTIES.—Subsection (a) of section 9004 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of this 
chapter, the eligible candidates of a party in a presidential 
election shall be entitled to equal payment under section 
9006 in an amount equal to 600 percent of the amount 
of each matchable contribution received by such candidate 
or by the candidate’s authorized committees (disregarding 
any amount of contributions from any person to the extent 
that the total of the amounts contributed by such person 
for the election exceeds $200), except that total amount 
to which a candidate is entitled under this paragraph shall 
not exceed $300,000,000.’’. 
(2) REPEAL
OF
SEPARATE
LIMITATIONS
FOR 
CANDIDATES OF MINOR AND NEW PARTIES; INFLA-
TION ADJUSTMENT.—Subsection (b) of section 9004 
of such Code is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any applica-
ble period beginning after 2019, the $300,000,000 
dollar amount in subsection (a) shall be increased by 
an amount equal to— 
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181 
‘‘(A) such dollar amount; multiplied by 
‘‘(B) the cost-of-living adjustment deter-
mined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar 
year following the year which such applicable 
period begins, determined by substituting ‘cal-
endar year 2018’ for ‘calendar year 1992’ in 
subparagraph (B) thereof. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABLE
PERIOD.—For purposes of 
this subsection, the term ‘applicable period’ means 
the 4-year period beginning with the first day fol-
lowing the date of the general election for the office 
of President and ending on the date of the next such 
general election. 
‘‘(3) ROUNDING.—If any amount as adjusted 
under paragraph (1) is not a multiple of $10,000, 
such amount shall be rounded to the nearest mul-
tiple of $10,000.’’. 
(3) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
9005(a) of such Code is amended by adding at the 
end the following new sentence: ‘‘The Commission 
shall make such additional certifications as may be 
necessary to receive payments under section 9004.’’. 
(b) MATCHABLE CONTRIBUTION.—Section 9002 of 
such Code, as amended by section 2112, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
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182 
‘‘(14) MATCHABLE CONTRIBUTION.—The term 
‘matchable contribution’ means, with respect to the 
election to the office of President of the United 
States, a contribution by an individual to a can-
didate or an authorized committee of a candidate 
with respect to which the candidate has certified in 
writing that— 
‘‘(A) the individual making such contribu-
tion has not made aggregate contributions (in-
cluding such matchable contribution) to such 
candidate and the authorized committees of 
such candidate in excess of $1,000 for the elec-
tion; 
‘‘(B) such candidate and the authorized 
committees of such candidate will not accept 
contributions from such individual (including 
such matchable contribution) aggregating more 
than the amount described in subparagraph (A) 
with respect to such election; and 
‘‘(C) such contribution was not— 
‘‘(i) forwarded from the contributor 
by any person other than an individual, or 
‘‘(ii) received by the candidate or com-
mittee from a contributor or contributors, 
but credited by the committee or candidate 
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183 
to another person who is not an individual 
through records, designations, or other 
means of recognizing (whether in writing 
or not in writing) that a certain amount of 
money has been raised by such person.’’. 
SEC. 2114. INCREASE IN LIMIT ON COORDINATED PARTY 
EXPENDITURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 315(d)(2) of the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2)(A) The national committee of a political party 
may not make any expenditure in connection with the gen-
eral election campaign of any candidate for President of 
the United States who is affiliated with such party which 
exceeds $100,000,000. 
‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph— 
‘‘(i) any expenditure made by or on behalf of a 
national committee of a political party and in con-
nection with a presidential election shall be consid-
ered to be made in connection with the general elec-
tion campaign of a candidate for President of the 
United States who is affiliated with such party; and 
‘‘(ii) any communication made by or on behalf 
of such party shall be considered to be made in con-
nection with the general election campaign of a can-
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184 
didate for President of the United States who is af-
filiated with such party if any portion of the commu-
nication is in connection with such election. 
‘‘(C) Any expenditure under this paragraph shall be 
in addition to any expenditure by a national committee 
of a political party serving as the principal campaign com-
mittee of a candidate for the office of President of the 
United States.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO TIM-
ING OF COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 315(c)(1) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)), as amended by section 
2112(d)(1)(B), is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘(d)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(d)(3)’’; and 
(B) by inserting at the end the following 
new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) In any calendar year after 2018— 
‘‘(i) the dollar amount in subsection (d)(2) shall 
be increased by the percent difference determined 
under subparagraph (A); 
‘‘(ii) the amount so increased shall remain in 
effect for the calendar year; and 
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185 
‘‘(iii) if the amount after adjustment under 
clause (i) is not a multiple of $100, such amount 
shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.’’. 
(2) BASE YEAR.—Section 315(c)(2)(B) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(2)(B)), as amended by sec-
tion 2112(d)(1)(B), is amended— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(d)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(d)(3)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) for purposes of subsection (d)(2), cal-
endar year 2017.’’. 
SEC. 2115. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIFORM DATE FOR RE-
LEASE OF PAYMENTS. 
(a) DATE FOR PAYMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 9006(b) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(b) PAYMENTS FROM THE FUND.—If the Secretary 
of the Treasury receives a certification from the Commis-
sion under section 9005 for payment to the eligible can-
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didates of a political party, the Secretary shall pay to such 
candidates out of the fund the amount certified by the 
Commission on the later of— 
‘‘(1) the last Friday occurring before the first 
Monday in September; or 
‘‘(2) 24 hours after receiving the certifications 
for the eligible candidates of all major political par-
ties. 
Amounts paid to any such candidates shall be under the 
control of such candidates.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The first sen-
tence of section 9006(c) of such Code is amended by 
striking ‘‘the time of a certification by the Commis-
sion under section 9005 for payment’’ and inserting 
‘‘the time of making a payment under subsection 
(b)’’. 
(b) TIME FOR CERTIFICATION.—Section 9005(a) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking 
‘‘10 days’’ and inserting ‘‘24 hours’’. 
SEC. 2116. AMOUNTS IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAM-
PAIGN FUND. 
(a) DETERMINATION OF AMOUNTS IN FUND.—Sec-
tion 9006(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: 
‘‘In making a determination of whether there are insuffi-
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cient moneys in the fund for purposes of the previous sen-
tence, the Secretary shall take into account in determining 
the balance of the fund for a Presidential election year 
the Secretary’s best estimate of the amount of moneys 
which will be deposited into the fund during the year, ex-
cept that the amount of the estimate may not exceed the 
average of the annual amounts deposited in the fund dur-
ing the previous 3 years.’’. 
(b) SPECIAL RULE FOR FIRST CAMPAIGN CYCLE 
UNDER THIS ACT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 9006 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) SPECIAL AUTHORITY TO BORROW.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection 
(c), there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
fund, as repayable advances, such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out the purposes of the fund during 
the period ending on the first presidential election 
occurring after the date of the enactment of this 
subsection. 
‘‘(2) REPAYMENT OF ADVANCES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Advances made to the 
fund shall be repaid, and interest on such ad-
vances shall be paid, to the general fund of the 
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Treasury when the Secretary determines that 
moneys are available for such purposes in the 
fund. 
‘‘(B) RATE OF INTEREST.—Interest on ad-
vances made to the fund shall be at a rate de-
termined by the Secretary of the Treasury (as 
of the close of the calendar month preceding the 
month in which the advance is made) to be 
equal to the current average market yield on 
outstanding marketable obligations of the 
United States with remaining periods to matu-
rity comparable to the anticipated period during 
which the advance will be outstanding and shall 
be compounded annually.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by this subsection shall take effect January 1, 2018. 
SEC. 2117. USE OF GENERAL ELECTION PAYMENTS FOR 
GENERAL ELECTION LEGAL AND ACCOUNT-
ING COMPLIANCE. 
Section 9002(11) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sentence: ‘‘For purposes of subparagraph (A), an expense 
incurred by a candidate or authorized committee for gen-
eral election legal and accounting compliance purposes 
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shall be considered to be an expense to further the election 
of such candidate.’’. 
Subtitle B—Public Financing for 
Congressional Election Campaigns 
SEC. 2201. BENEFITS AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 
FOR CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES. 
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 
U.S.C. 30101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘TITLE 
V—PUBLIC 
FINANCING 
OF 
CONGRESSIONAL 
ELEC-
TION CAMPAIGNS 
‘‘Subtitle A—Benefits 
‘‘SEC. 501. BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPATING CANDIDATES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If a candidate for election to the 
office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resi-
dent Commissioner to, the Congress is a participating can-
didate under this title with respect to an election for such 
office, the candidate shall be entitled to payments under 
this title, to be used only for authorized expenditures in 
connection with the election. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.— 
‘‘(1) MATCH OF QUALIFIED CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
Subject to paragraph (2), the amount of a payment 
made to a participating candidate under this title 
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shall be equal to 600 percent of the amount of quali-
fied contributions received by the candidate since the 
most recent payment made to the candidate under 
this title with respect to the election, as set forth— 
‘‘(A) in the case of the first payment made 
to the candidate with respect to the election, in 
the report filed under section 511(a)(2); and 
‘‘(B) in the case of any subsequent pay-
ment made to the candidate with respect to the 
election, in the report of qualified contributions 
filed under subsection (c). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—In determining the amount 
of qualified contributions received by a candidate for 
purposes of making a payment under this section, 
there shall be disregarded any amount of contribu-
tions from any person to the extent that the total of 
the amounts contributed by such person for the elec-
tion exceeds $200. 
‘‘(c) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each participating can-
didate shall file reports of receipts of qualified con-
tributions at such times and in such manner as the 
Commission may by regulations prescribe. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS
OF
REPORTS.—Each report 
under this subsection shall disclose each qualified 
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contribution received by the candidate since the most 
recent report filed under this section, and shall state 
the aggregate amount of all such qualified contribu-
tions received since the most recent report filed 
under this section. 
‘‘(3) FREQUENCY OF REPORTS.—Reports under 
this subsection shall be made no more frequently 
than— 
‘‘(A) once every month until the date that 
is 90 days before the date of the election; 
‘‘(B) once every week after the period de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) and until the date 
that is 21 days before the election; and 
‘‘(C) once every day after the period de-
scribed in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(4) 
LIMITATION
ON
REGULATIONS.—The 
Commission may not prescribe any regulations with 
respect to reporting under this subsection with re-
spect to any election after the date that is 180 days 
before the date of such election. 
‘‘(d) LIMIT
ON
AGGREGATE
AMOUNT
OF
PAY-
MENTS.—The aggregate amount of payments that may be 
made under this title to a participating candidate during 
an election cycle may not exceed— 
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‘‘(1) $2,000,000, in the case of a candidate for 
the office of Representative in, or Delegate or Resi-
dent Commissioner to, the Congress; or 
‘‘(2) $10,000,000, in the case of a candidate for 
the office of Senator. 
‘‘(e) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.—In each odd-num-
bered calendar year after 2018— 
‘‘(1) each of the dollar amounts under sub-
sections (b)(2), (d)(1), and (d)(2) shall be increased 
by the percent difference determined under section 
315(c)(1)(A) (determined by substituting ‘calendar 
year 2017’ for ‘the base period’); 
‘‘(2) each amount so increased shall remain in 
effect for the election cycle beginning on the first 
day following the year in which the amount is in-
creased; and 
‘‘(3) if any amount after adjustment under 
paragraph (1) is— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an amount under sub-
section (b)(2), not a multiple of $10, such 
amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple 
of $10, and 
‘‘(B) in the case of an amount under sub-
section (d), not a multiple of $1,000, such 
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amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple 
of $1,000. 
‘‘SEC. 502. ADMINISTRATION OF PAYMENTS. 
‘‘(a) TIMING.—The Commission shall make payments 
under this title to a participating candidate— 
‘‘(1) in the case of the first payment made to 
the candidate with respect to the election, not later 
than 48 hours after the date on which such can-
didate is certified as a participating candidate under 
section 513; and 
‘‘(2) in the case of any subsequent payment 
made to the candidate with respect to the election, 
not later than 5 business days after the receipt of 
a report made under section 501(c). 
‘‘(b) METHOD OF PAYMENT.—The Commission shall 
distribute funds available to participating candidates 
under this title through the use of an electronic funds ex-
change or a debit card. 
‘‘(c) APPEALS.—The Commission shall provide a 
written explanation with respect to any denial of any pay-
ment under this title and shall provide for the opportunity 
for review and reconsideration within 5 business days of 
such denial. 
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‘‘SEC. 503. QUALIFIED CONTRIBUTION DEFINED. 
‘‘In this title, the term ‘qualified contribution’ means, 
with respect to a candidate, a contribution that meets each 
of the following requirements: 
‘‘(1) The contribution is in an amount that is 
not greater than the limit on the amount of a con-
tribution that may be accepted by a participating 
candidate from an individual under section 521(a). 
‘‘(2) The contribution is made by an individual 
who is not otherwise prohibited from making a con-
tribution under this Act. 
‘‘(3) The contribution is not— 
‘‘(A) forwarded from the contributor by 
any person other than an individual; or 
‘‘(B) received by the candidate or an au-
thorized committee of the candidate from a con-
tributor or contributors, but credited by the 
committee or candidate to another person who 
is not an individual through records, designa-
tions, or other means of recognizing (whether in 
writing or not in writing) that a certain amount 
of money has been raised by such person. 
‘‘(4) The contribution meets the requirements 
of section 512(b). 
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‘‘Subtitle B—Eligibility and 
Certification 
‘‘SEC. 511. ELIGIBILITY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A candidate for the office of 
Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident 
Commissioner to, the Congress is eligible to be certified 
as a participating candidate under this title with respect 
to an election if the candidate meets the following require-
ments: 
‘‘(1) During the election cycle for the office in-
volved, the candidate files with the Commission a 
statement of intent to seek certification as a partici-
pating candidate. 
‘‘(2) The candidate meets the qualified con-
tribution requirements of section 512 and submits to 
the Commission a report disclosing each qualified 
contribution received by the candidate and stating 
the aggregate amount of all such qualified contribu-
tions received. 
‘‘(3) Not later than the last day of the quali-
fying period, the candidate files with the Commis-
sion an affidavit signed by the candidate and the 
treasurer of the candidate’s principal campaign com-
mittee declaring that the candidate— 
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‘‘(A) has complied and, if certified, will 
comply with the contribution and expenditure 
requirements of section 521; 
‘‘(B) if certified, will run only as a partici-
pating candidate for all elections for the office 
that such candidate is seeking during the elec-
tion cycle; and 
‘‘(C) has either qualified or will take steps 
to qualify under State law to be on the ballot. 
‘‘(b) GENERAL ELECTION.—Notwithstanding sub-
section (a), a candidate shall not be eligible to receive a 
payment under this title for a general election or a general 
runoff election unless the candidate’s party nominated the 
candidate to be placed on the ballot for the general elec-
tion or the candidate is otherwise qualified to be on the 
ballot under State law. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFYING
PERIOD
DEFINED.—The term 
‘qualifying period’ means, with respect to any candidate 
for the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate 
or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress, the 120-day 
period (during the election cycle for such office) which be-
gins on the date on which the candidate files a statement 
of intent under section 511(a)(1), except that such period 
may not continue after the date that is 60 days before— 
‘‘(1) the date of the primary election; or 
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‘‘(2) in the case of a State that does not hold 
a primary election, the date prescribed by State law 
as the last day to qualify for a position on the gen-
eral election ballot. 
‘‘SEC. 512. QUALIFIED CONTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘(a) RECEIPT OF QUALIFIED CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A candidate meets the re-
quirements of this section if, during the qualifying 
period described in section 511(c), the candidate ob-
tains— 
‘‘(A) a single qualified contribution from a 
number of individuals equal to or greater 
than— 
‘‘(i) in the case of a candidate for 
election the office of Representative in, or 
Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
Congress, 400, or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a candidate for the 
office of Senator, the product of 400 and 
the number of Congressional districts in 
the State involved as of the date of the 
election; and 
‘‘(B) a total dollar amount of qualified 
contributions equal to or greater than— 
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‘‘(i) in the case of a candidate for 
election the office of Representative in, or 
Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the 
Congress, 
$40,000, 
disregarding 
any 
amount of contributions from any person 
to the extent that the total of the amounts 
contributed by such person for the election 
exceeds $200, or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a candidate for the 
office of Senator, the product of $40,000 
and the number of Congressional districts 
in the State involved as of the date of the 
election, disregarding any amount of con-
tributions from any person to the extent 
that the total of the amounts contributed 
by such person for the election exceeds 
$200. 
‘‘(2) EXCLUSION
OF
CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM 
OUT-OF-STATE
RESIDENTS.—In determining the 
number of qualified contributions obtained by a can-
didate under paragraph (1)(A) and the dollar 
amount of qualified contributions obtained by a can-
didate under paragraph (1)(B), there shall be ex-
cluded any contributions made by an individual who 
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does not have a primary residence in the State in 
which such candidate is seeking election. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS RELATING
TO RECEIPT
OF 
QUALIFIED
CONTRIBUTION.—Each qualified contribu-
tion— 
‘‘(1) may be made by means of a personal 
check, money order, debit card, credit card, or elec-
tronic payment account; 
‘‘(2) shall be accompanied by a signed state-
ment containing the contributor’s name and the con-
tributor’s address in the State in which the primary 
residence of the contributor is located; and 
‘‘(3) shall be acknowledged by a receipt that is 
sent to the contributor with a copy kept by the can-
didate for the Commission and a copy kept by the 
candidate for the election authorities in the State 
with respect to which the candidate is seeking elec-
tion. 
‘‘(c) PROHIBITING PAYMENT ON COMMISSION BASIS 
OF INDIVIDUALS COLLECTING QUALIFIED CONTRIBU-
TIONS.—No person may be paid a commission on a per 
qualified contribution basis for collecting qualified con-
tributions. 
‘‘SEC. 513. CERTIFICATION. 
‘‘(a) DEADLINE AND NOTIFICATION.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 10 days 
after a candidate files an affidavit under section 
511(a)(3), the Commission shall— 
‘‘(A) determine whether or not the can-
didate meets the requirements for certification 
as a participating candidate; 
‘‘(B) if the Commission determines that 
the candidate meets such requirements, certify 
the candidate as a participating candidate; and 
‘‘(C) notify the candidate of the Commis-
sion’s determination. 
‘‘(2) DEEMED CERTIFICATION FOR ALL ELEC-
TIONS IN ELECTION CYCLE.—If the Commission cer-
tifies a candidate as a participating candidate with 
respect to the first election of the election cycle in-
volved, the Commissioner shall be deemed to have 
certified the candidate as a participating candidate 
with respect to all subsequent elections of the elec-
tion cycle. 
‘‘(b) REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may re-
voke a certification under subsection (a) if— 
‘‘(A) a candidate fails to qualify to appear 
on the ballot at any time after the date of cer-
tification (other than a candidate certified as a 
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participating candidate with respect to a pri-
mary election who fails to qualify to appear on 
the ballot for a subsequent election in that elec-
tion cycle); or 
‘‘(B) a candidate otherwise fails to comply 
with the requirements of this title, including 
any regulatory requirements prescribed by the 
Commission. 
‘‘(2) REPAYMENT
OF
BENEFITS.—If certifi-
cation is revoked under paragraph (1), the candidate 
shall repay to the Empowering Citizens Payment Ac-
count of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund 
(established under section 9051 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986) an amount equal to the value 
of benefits received under this title with respect to 
the election cycle involved plus interest (at a rate de-
termined by the Commission) on any such amount 
received. 
‘‘(c) PARTICIPATING CANDIDATE DEFINED.—In this 
title, a ‘participating candidate’ means a candidate for the 
office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resi-
dent Commissioner to, the Congress who is certified under 
this section as eligible to receive benefits under this title. 
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‘‘Subtitle C—Requirements for Can-
didates 
Certified 
as 
Partici-
pating Candidates 
‘‘SEC. 521. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS 
AND EXPENDITURES. 
‘‘(a) REDUCTION IN OTHERWISE APPLICABLE CON-
TRIBUTION LIMITS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a candidate 
who is certified as a participating candidate under 
this title with respect to an election, each limit appli-
cable under paragraph (1)(A) and paragraph (2)(A) 
of section 315(a) to the amount of a contribution 
which may be made to the candidate and any au-
thorized committee of the candidate with respect to 
the election shall be equal to $1,000 for the election. 
‘‘(2) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.—In each odd- 
numbered calendar year after 2018— 
‘‘(A) the $1,000 amount under paragraph 
(1) shall be increased by the percent difference 
determined under section 315(c)(1)(A) (deter-
mined by substituting ‘calendar year 2017’ for 
‘the base period’); 
‘‘(B) the amount so increased shall remain 
in effect for the election cycle beginning on the 
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first day following the year in which the amount 
is increased; and 
‘‘(C) if any amount after adjustment under 
subparagraph (A) not a multiple of $100, such 
amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple 
of $100. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITING ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS 
BUNDLED
BY REGISTERED LOBBYISTS.—A candidate 
who is certified as a participating candidate under this 
title with respect to an election, and any authorized com-
mittee of such a candidate, may not accept— 
‘‘(1) any contribution with respect to the elec-
tion which is a bundled contribution (as defined in 
section 304(i)(8)) forwarded by or credited to a per-
son described in section 304(i)(7); or 
‘‘(2) any contribution forwarded by or credited 
to a multicandidate political committee described in 
section 315(a)(4) which would be treated as a bun-
dled contribution under section 304(i)(8) if it were 
forwarded by or credited to a person described in 
section 304(i)(7). 
‘‘(c) LIMIT
ON EXPENDITURES FROM PERSONAL 
FUNDS.—A candidate who is certified as a participating 
candidate under this title may not make expenditures from 
personal funds (as defined in section 304(a)(6)(B)) in an 
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aggregate amount exceeding $50,000 with respect to any 
election in the election cycle involved. 
‘‘(d) PROHIBITING SOLICITATION OF FUNDS FOR PO-
LITICAL PARTY COMMITTEES.—A candidate who is cer-
tified as a participating candidate under this title may not 
solicit funds for any political committee of a political 
party, except that the candidate may solicit funds for a 
separate account of the committee which is established 
under section 315(d)(5). 
‘‘SEC. 522. REMITTING UNSPENT FUNDS AFTER ELECTION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than the date that is 
60 days after the last election for which a candidate cer-
tified as a participating candidate qualifies to be on the 
ballot during the election cycle involved, such participating 
candidate shall remit to the Commission for deposit in the 
Empowering Citizens Payment Account of the Presi-
dential Election Campaign Fund (established under sec-
tion 9051 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) an 
amount equal to the lesser of— 
‘‘(1) the amount of money in the candidate’s 
campaign account; or 
‘‘(2) the amount of the payments received by 
the candidate under this title. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION
FOR EXPENDITURES INCURRED 
BUT NOT PAID AS OF DATE OF REMITTANCE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (a), a 
candidate may withhold from the amount required to 
be remitted under paragraph (1) of such subsection 
the amount of any authorized expenditures which 
were incurred in connection with the candidate’s 
campaign but which remain unpaid as of the dead-
line applicable to the candidate under such sub-
section, except that any amount withheld pursuant 
to this paragraph shall be remitted to the Commis-
sion not later than 120 days after the date of the 
election to which such subsection applies. 
‘‘(2) DOCUMENTATION
REQUIRED.—A can-
didate may withhold an amount of an expenditure 
pursuant to paragraph (1) only if the candidate sub-
mits documentation of the expenditure and the 
amount to the Commission not later than the dead-
line applicable to the candidate under subsection (a). 
‘‘Subtitle D—Administrative 
Provisions 
‘‘SEC. 531. ADMINISTRATION BY COMMISSION. 
‘‘The Commission shall prescribe regulations to carry 
out the purposes of this title, including regulations to es-
tablish procedures for— 
‘‘(1) verifying the amount of qualified contribu-
tions with respect to a candidate; 
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‘‘(2) effectively and efficiently monitoring and 
enforcing the limits on the raising of qualified con-
tributions; 
‘‘(3) effectively and efficiently monitoring and 
enforcing the limits on the use of personal funds by 
participating candidates; and 
‘‘(4) monitoring the use of payments under this 
title through audits of not fewer than 1⁄3 of all par-
ticipating candidates or other mechanisms. 
‘‘SEC. 532. VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES. 
‘‘(a) CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF CONTRIBU-
TION
AND EXPENDITURE REQUIREMENTS.—If a can-
didate who has been certified as a participating candidate 
accepts a contribution or makes an expenditure that is 
prohibited under section 521, the Commission shall assess 
a civil penalty against the candidate in an amount that 
is not more than 3 times the amount of the contribution 
or expenditure. Any amounts collected under this sub-
section shall be deposited into the Empowering Citizens 
Payment Account of the Presidential Election Campaign 
Fund (established under section 9051 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986). 
‘‘(b) REPAYMENT FOR IMPROPER USE OF EMPOW-
ERING CITIZENS PAYMENT ACCOUNT.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Commission deter-
mines that any benefit made available to a partici-
pating candidate was not used as provided for in 
this title or that a participating candidate has vio-
lated any of the dates for remission of funds con-
tained in this title, the Commission shall so notify 
the candidate and the candidate shall pay to the 
Empowering Citizens Payment Account of the Presi-
dential Election Campaign Fund an amount equal 
to— 
‘‘(A) the amount of benefits so used or not 
remitted, as appropriate; and 
‘‘(B) interest on any such amounts (at a 
rate determined by the Commission). 
‘‘(2) OTHER
ACTION
NOT
PRECLUDED.—Any 
action by the Commission in accordance with this 
subsection shall not preclude enforcement pro-
ceedings by the Commission in accordance with sec-
tion 309(a), including a referral by the Commission 
to the Attorney General in the case of an apparent 
knowing and willful violation of this title. 
‘‘SEC. 533. ELECTION CYCLE DEFINED. 
‘‘In this title, the term ‘election cycle’ means, with 
respect to an election for the office of Senator or Rep-
resentative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, 
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the Congress, the period beginning on the day after the 
date of the most recent general election for that office (or, 
if the general election resulted in a runoff election, the 
date of the runoff election) and ending on the date of the 
next general election for that office (or, if the general elec-
tion resulted in a runoff election, the date of the runoff 
election).’’. 
SEC. 2202. PERMITTING UNLIMITED COORDINATED EX-
PENDITURES BY POLITICAL PARTY COMMIT-
TEES ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPATING CAN-
DIDATES IF EXPENDITURES ARE DERIVED 
FROM SMALL DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS. 
Section 315(d) of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)), as amended by section 
2101(b) of Division N of the Consolidated and Further 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113– 
235; 128 Stat. 2773), is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) In determining the amount of expenditures 
made by a committee under paragraph (3) in connection 
with the campaign of a candidate who is certified as a 
participating candidate under title V, there shall be ex-
cluded any expenditures which are derived from a separate 
account established by the committee for which the only 
sources of funds are contributions made during the elec-
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tion cycle in an amount which does not exceed $1,000 per 
contributor.’’. 
SEC. 2203. PROHIBITING USE OF CONTRIBUTIONS BY PAR-
TICIPATING 
CANDIDATES 
FOR 
PURPOSES 
OTHER THAN CAMPAIGN FOR ELECTION. 
Section 313 of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30114) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) RESTRICTIONS ON PERMITTED USES OF FUNDS 
BY
CANDIDATES
RECEIVING
MATCHING
PUBLIC 
FUNDS.—Notwithstanding paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of 
subsection (a), if a candidate for election for the office 
of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident 
Commissioner to, the Congress is certified as a partici-
pating candidate under title V with respect to the election, 
any contribution which the candidate is permitted to ac-
cept under such title may be used only for authorized ex-
penditures in connection with the candidate’s campaign 
for such office.’’. 
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Subtitle 
C—Use 
of 
Presidential 
Election Campaign Fund for 
Public 
Financing 
of 
Federal 
Elections 
SEC. 2301. USE OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 
FUND FOR CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES. 
Subtitle H of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 97—EMPOWERING CITIZENS 
PAYMENT ACCOUNT 
‘‘Sec. 9051. Payments to Congressional candidates. 
‘‘SEC. 9051. PAYMENTS TO CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCOUNT.—The Secretary 
shall maintain in the Presidential Election Campaign 
Fund established by section 9006(a), in addition to any 
account which he maintains under such section, a separate 
account to be known as the Empowering Citizens Payment 
Account (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Ac-
count’). 
‘‘(b) AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED TO ACCOUNT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall deposit 
into the Account the excess of— 
‘‘(A) the balance of the Federal Election 
Campaign Fund (determined without regard to 
the Account), over 
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‘‘(B) the amount determined by the Sec-
retary to be required for payments under sec-
tion 9006(c) and for payments under section 
9037(b). 
‘‘(2) SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSFERS.—There are 
hereby appropriated to the Account an amount equal 
to the excess (if any) of— 
‘‘(A) the amount required to provide pay-
ments to candidates for election to the office of 
Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or 
Resident Commissioner to, the Congress who 
are participating candidates under title V of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, over 
‘‘(B) the amounts transferred to such Ac-
count under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(c) USE OF ACCOUNT FOR PAYMENTS TO CONGRES-
SIONAL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC FINANC-
ING PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall transfer amounts in 
the Account to the Federal Election Commission, at such 
times and in such amounts as the Federal Election Com-
mission may certify, for payments to candidates for elec-
tion to the office of Senator or Representative in, or Dele-
gate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress who are 
participating candidates under title V of the Federal Elec-
tion Campaign Act of 1971.’’. 
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SEC. 2302. REVISIONS TO DESIGNATION OF INCOME TAX 
PAYMENTS BY INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS. 
(a) INCREASE IN AMOUNT DESIGNATED.—Section 
6096(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘$3’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘$20’’; and 
(2) in the second sentence— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$6’’ and inserting ‘‘$40’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘$3’’ and inserting ‘‘$20’’. 
(b) INDEXING.—Section 6096 of such Code is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) INDEXING OF AMOUNT DESIGNATED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to each tax-
able year after 2017, each amount referred to in 
subsection (a) shall be increased by the percent dif-
ference described in paragraph (2), except that if 
any such amount after such an increase is not a 
multiple of $1, such amount shall be rounded to the 
nearest multiple of $1. 
‘‘(2) PERCENT DIFFERENCE DESCRIBED.—The 
percent difference described in this paragraph with 
respect to a taxable year is the percent difference 
determined under section 315(c)(1)(A) of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 with respect to 
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the calendar year during which the taxable year be-
gins, except that the base year involved shall be 
2016.’’. 
(c) ENSURING TAX PREPARATION SOFTWARE DOES 
NOT PROVIDE AUTOMATIC RESPONSE TO DESIGNATION 
QUESTION.—Section 6096 of such Code, as amended by 
subsection (b), is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(e) ENSURING TAX PREPARATION SOFTWARE DOES 
NOT PROVIDE AUTOMATIC RESPONSE TO DESIGNATION 
QUESTION.—The Secretary shall promulgate regulations 
to ensure that electronic software used in the preparation 
or filing of individual income tax returns does not auto-
matically accept or decline a designation of a payment 
under this section.’’. 
(d) PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM ON DESIGNA-
TION.—Section 6096 of such Code, as amended by sub-
sections (b) and (c), is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(f) PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Election Com-
mission shall conduct a program to inform and edu-
cate the public regarding the purposes of the Presi-
dential Election Campaign Fund, the procedures for 
the designation of payments under this section, and 
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the effect of such a designation on the income tax 
liability of taxpayers. 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS FOR PROGRAM.—Amounts 
in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund shall be 
made available to the Federal Election Commission 
to carry out the program under this subsection.’’. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect January 1, 2018. 
SEC. 2303. DONATION TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAM-
PAIGN FUND. 
(a) GENERAL RULE.—Every taxpayer who makes a 
return of the tax imposed by subtitle A of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 for any taxable year ending after 
December 31, 2017, may donate an amount (not less than 
$1), in addition to any designation of income tax liability 
under section 6096 of such Code for such taxable year, 
which shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treas-
ury. 
(b) MANNER AND TIME OF DESIGNATION.—Any do-
nation under subsection (a) for any taxable year— 
(1) shall be made at the time of filing the re-
turn of the tax imposed by subtitle A of such Code 
for such taxable year and in such manner as the 
Secretary may by regulation prescribe, except that— 
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(A) the designation for such donation shall 
be either on the first page of the return or on 
the page bearing the taxpayer’s signature, and 
(B) the designation shall be by a box 
added to the return, and the text beside the box 
shall provide: 
‘‘By checking here, I signify that in 
addition to my tax liability (if any), I 
would like to donate the included payment 
to be used exclusively as a contribution to 
the 
Presidential 
Election 
Campaign 
Fund.’’, and 
(2) shall be accompanied by a payment of the 
amount so designated. 
(c) TRANSFERS TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAM-
PAIGN FUND.—The Secretary shall, from time to time, 
transfer to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund es-
tablished under section 9006(a) of such Code amounts 
equal to the amounts donated under this section. 
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216 
Subtitle D—Other Campaign 
Finance Reforms 
SEC. 2401. REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO BEST EFFORTS 
FOR IDENTIFYING PERSONS MAKING CON-
TRIBUTIONS. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Federal Election Commission shall pro-
mulgate regulations with respect to what constitutes best 
efforts under section 302(i) of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(i)) for determining 
the identification of persons making contributions to polit-
ical committees, including the identifications of persons 
making contributions over the Internet or by credit card. 
Such regulations shall include a requirement that in the 
case of contributions made by a credit card, the political 
committee shall ensure that the name on the credit card 
used to make the contribution matches the name of the 
person making the contribution. 
SEC. 2402. RULES RELATING TO JOINT FUNDRAISING COM-
MITTEES. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON JOINT FUNDRAISING COMMIT-
TEES FOR CANDIDATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 302(e) of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
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30102(e)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) No authorized committee of a candidate may es-
tablish, participate in, or have any involvement with any 
joint fundraising committee.’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
302(e)(3)(A) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 30102(e)(3)) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘except that’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘the candidate’’ and inserting 
‘‘except that the candidate’’, 
(B) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting a pe-
riod, and 
(C) by striking clause (ii). 
(b) LIMITATION ON JOINT FUNDRAISING COMMIT-
TEES FOR PARTY COMMITTEES.—Section 302 of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(j) PARTICIPATION
OF PARTY COMMITTEES
IN 
JOINT FUNDRAISING COMMITTEES.—No committee of a 
political party may establish, participate in, or have any 
involvement with any joint fundraising committee other 
than a joint fundraising committee that consists of the 
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national committee of a political party and one other com-
mittee of the political party.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on January 1, 2018. 
SEC. 2403. DISCLOSURE OF BUNDLED CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
PRESIDENTIAL 
CAMPAIGNS; 
INCREASE 
IN 
THRESHOLD FOR BUNDLED CONTRIBUTIONS 
BY LOBBYISTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraphs (1) through (3) of 
section 304(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 
1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)) are amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) DISCLOSURE
OF
BUNDLED
CON-
TRIBUTIONS BY LOBBYISTS.—Each committee 
described in paragraph (6) shall include in the 
first report required to be filed under this sec-
tion after each covered period (as defined in 
paragraph (2)) a separate schedule setting forth 
the name, address, and employer of each person 
reasonably known by the committee to be a per-
son described in paragraph (7) who provided 
two or more bundled contributions to the com-
mittee in an aggregate amount greater than the 
applicable threshold (as defined in paragraph 
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(3)) during the covered period, and the aggre-
gate amount of the bundled contributions pro-
vided by each such person during the covered 
period. 
‘‘(B) DISCLOSURE
OF
BUNDLED
CON-
TRIBUTIONS
TO
PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS.— 
Each committee which is an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate for the office of President 
or for nomination to such office shall include in 
the first report required to be filed under this 
section after each covered period (as defined in 
paragraph (2)) a separate schedule setting forth 
the name, address, and employer of each person 
who provided two or more bundled contribu-
tions to the committee in an aggregate amount 
greater than the applicable threshold (as de-
fined in paragraph (3)) during the election 
cycle, and the aggregate amount of the bundled 
contributions provided by each such person dur-
ing the covered period and such election cycle. 
Such schedule shall include a separate listing of 
the name, address, and employer of each person 
included on such schedule who is reasonably 
known by the committee to be a person de-
scribed in paragraph (7), together with the ag-
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gregate amount of bundled contributions pro-
vided by such person during such period and 
such cycle. 
‘‘(2) COVERED PERIOD.—In this subsection, a 
‘covered period’ means— 
‘‘(A) with respect to a committee which is 
an authorized committee of a candidate for the 
office of President or for nomination to such of-
fice— 
‘‘(i) the 4-year election cycle ending 
with the date of the election for the office 
of the President; and 
‘‘(ii) any reporting period applicable 
to the committee under this section during 
which any person provided two or more 
bundled contributions to the committee; 
and 
‘‘(B) with respect to any other com-
mittee— 
‘‘(i) the period beginning January 1 
and ending June 30 of each year; 
‘‘(ii) the period beginning July 1 and 
ending December 31 of each year; and 
‘‘(iii) any reporting period applicable 
to the committee under this section during 
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221 
which any person described in paragraph 
(7) provided two or more bundled contribu-
tions to the committee in an aggregate 
amount greater than the applicable thresh-
old. 
‘‘(3) APPLICABLE THRESHOLD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In this subsection, the 
‘applicable threshold’ is— 
‘‘(i) $50,000 in the case of a com-
mittee which is an authorized committee of 
a candidate for the office of President or 
for nomination to such office; and 
‘‘(ii) $25,000 in the case of any other 
committee. 
In determining whether the amount of bundled 
contributions provided to a committee by a per-
son exceeds the applicable threshold, there shall 
be excluded any contribution made to the com-
mittee by the person or the person’s spouse. 
‘‘(B) INDEXING.—In any calendar year 
after 2018, section 315(c)(1)(B) shall apply to 
each amount applicable under subparagraph 
(A) in the same manner as such section applies 
to the limitations established under subsections 
(a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B), (a)(3), and (h) of such 
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section, except that for purposes of applying 
such section to the amount applicable under 
subparagraph (A), the ‘base period’ shall be 
2017. 
‘‘(C) AGGREGATION
OF
CONTRIBUTIONS 
FROM COSPONSORS OF FUNDRAISING EVENT.— 
For purposes of determining the amount of 
bundled contributions provided by a person to a 
committee which were received by the person at 
a fundraising event sponsored by the person, or 
in response to an invitation to attend a fund-
raising event sponsored by the person, each per-
son who is a sponsor of the event shall be con-
sidered to have provided to the committee the 
aggregate amount of all bundled contributions 
which were provided to the committee by all 
sponsors of the event.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 304(i) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘described in 
paragraph (7)’’ each place it appears in subpara-
graphs (C) and (D); 
(2) in paragraph (6), by inserting ‘‘(other than 
a candidate for the office of President or for nomi-
nation to such office)’’ after ‘‘candidate’’; and 
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(3) in paragraph (8)(A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘, with respect to a com-
mittee described in paragraph (6) and a person 
described in paragraph (7),’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
with respect to a committee described in para-
graph (6) or an authorized committee of a can-
didate for the office of President or for nomina-
tion to such office,’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘by the person’’ in clause 
(i) thereof and inserting ‘‘by any person’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘the person’’ each place it 
appears in clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘such per-
son’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to reports filed under 
section 304 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 
after January 1, 2018. 
SEC. 2404. REPEAL OF SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL PARTIES FOR 
CERTAIN PURPOSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 315(a) of the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30116(a)), as 
amended by section 2101(b) of Division N of the Consoli-
dated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 
(Public Law 113–235; 128 Stat. 2773), is amended— 
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224 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘‘, or, in 
the case of contributions made to any of the ac-
counts described in paragraph (9), exceed 300 per-
cent of the amount otherwise applicable under this 
subparagraph with respect to such calendar year’’, 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘, or, in 
the case of contributions made to any of the ac-
counts described in paragraph (9), exceed 300 per-
cent of the amount otherwise applicable under this 
subparagraph with respect to such calendar year’’, 
and 
(3) by striking paragraph (9). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 315(d) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 30116(d)), as amended by section 
2202, is amended by striking paragraph (5). 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to contributions made after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(d) 
RETURN
OF
PREVIOUSLY
CONTRIBUTED 
AMOUNTS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, each political committee established 
and maintained by a political party shall distribute all 
amounts in accounts described in section 315(a)(9) of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30116(a)(9)) to individuals who made contributions to 
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225 
such accounts. The amount distributed to any contributor 
form any account shall bear the same ratio to the amount 
of contributions made by such contributor to such account 
as the balance of such account on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act bears to the total amount of contributions 
made to such account. 
SEC. 2405. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ACTIONS RELATED TO 
CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30141 et seq.), as 
amended by section 1063, is amended by inserting after 
section 405 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 406. JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 373(f), 
if any action is brought for declaratory or injunctive relief 
to challenge the constitutionality of any provision of this 
Act or of chapter 95 or 96 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986, or is brought to with respect to any action of 
the Commission under chapter 95 or 96 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, the following rules shall apply: 
‘‘(1) The action shall be filed in the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia 
and an appeal from the decision of the district court 
may be taken to the Court of Appeals for the Dis-
trict of Columbia Circuit. 
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‘‘(2) In the case of an action relating to declar-
atory or injunctive relief to challenge the constitu-
tionality of a provision— 
‘‘(A) a copy of the complaint shall be deliv-
ered promptly to the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives and the Secretary of the Sen-
ate; and 
‘‘(B) it shall be the duty of the United 
States District Court for the District of Colum-
bia, the Court of Appeals for the District of Co-
lumbia, and the Supreme Court of the United 
States to advance on the docket and to expedite 
to the greatest possible extent the disposition of 
the action and appeal. 
‘‘(b) INTERVENTION BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.— 
In any action in which the constitutionality of any provi-
sion of this Act or chapter 95 or 96 of the Internal Rev-
enue Code of 1986 is raised, any member of the House 
of Representatives (including a Delegate or Resident Com-
missioner to the Congress) or Senate shall have the right 
to intervene either in support of or opposition to the posi-
tion of a party to the case regarding the constitutionality 
of the provision. To avoid duplication of efforts and reduce 
the burdens placed on the parties to the action, the court 
in any such action may make such orders as it considers 
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necessary, including orders to require interveners taking 
similar positions to file joint papers or to be represented 
by a single attorney at oral argument. 
‘‘(c) CHALLENGE BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.—Any 
Member of Congress may bring an action, subject to the 
special rules described in subsection (a), for declaratory 
or injunctive relief to challenge the constitutionality of any 
provision of this Act or chapter 95 or 96 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) Section 9011 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 9011. JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
‘‘For provisions relating to judicial review of certifi-
cations, determinations, and actions by the Commission 
under this chapter, see section 407 of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971.’’. 
(B) Section 9041 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 9041. JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
‘‘For provisions relating to judicial review of actions 
by the Commission under this chapter, see section 407 of 
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.’’. 
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(C) Section 403 of the Bipartisan Cam-
paign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
30110 note) is repealed. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to actions brought on or after Jan-
uary 1, 2018. 
SEC. 2406. TREATMENT OF INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS 
MADE BY POLITICAL COMMITTEES AS PUB-
LIC COMMUNICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraph (22) of section 301 of 
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 
30101(22)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘Such term shall include communications 
to the general public made over the Internet by a political 
committee.’’. 
Subtitle E—Effective Date 
SEC. 2501. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
Except as otherwise provided in this title, the amend-
ments made by this title shall apply with respect to elec-
tions occurring after January 1, 2018. 
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229 
TITLE III—REDISTRICTING 
SEC. 3001. SHORT TITLE; FINDING OF CONSTITUTIONAL AU-
THORITY. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This title may be cited as the 
‘‘John Tanner Fairness and Independence in Redistricting 
Act’’. 
(b) FINDING.—Congress finds that it has the author-
ity to establish the terms and conditions States must fol-
low in carrying out Congressional redistricting after an 
apportionment of Members of the House of Representa-
tives because— 
(1) the authority granted to Congress under ar-
ticle I, section 4 of the Constitution of the United 
States gives Congress the power to enact laws gov-
erning the time, place, and manner of elections for 
Members of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the authority granted to Congress under 
section 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution gives Congress the power to enact laws to 
enforce section 2 of such amendment, which requires 
Representatives to be apportioned among the several 
States according to their number. 
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230 
SEC. 3002. LIMIT ON CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING 
AFTER AN APPORTIONMENT. 
The Act entitled ‘‘An Act for the relief of Doctor Ri-
cardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for congressional re-
districting’’, approved December 14, 1967 (2 U.S.C. 2c), 
is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A State 
which has been redistricted in the manner provided by law 
after an apportionment under section 22 of the Act enti-
tled ‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and subsequent 
decennial censuses and to provide for an apportionment 
of Representatives in Congress’, approved June 18, 1929 
(2 U.S.C. 2a), may not be redistricted again until after 
the next apportionment of Representatives under such sec-
tion, unless a court requires the State to conduct such 
subsequent redistricting to comply with the Constitution 
or to enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10301 et seq.).’’. 
SEC. 3003. REQUIRING REDISTRICTING TO BE CONDUCTED 
THROUGH PLAN OF INDEPENDENT STATE 
COMMISSION OR PLAN OF HIGHEST STATE 
COURT. 
(a) USE OF PLAN REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any Congressional redistricting con-
ducted by a State shall be conducted in accordance 
with— 
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(A) the redistricting plan developed by the 
independent redistricting commission estab-
lished in the State, in accordance with section 
3004; or 
(B) if the plan developed by such commis-
sion is not enacted into law, the redistricting 
plan selected by the highest court in the State 
or developed by a United States district court, 
in accordance with section 3005. 
(2) TREATMENT
OF
COMMISSIONS
ESTAB-
LISHED PURSUANT TO LAWS ENACTED PRIOR TO EN-
ACTMENT.—If Congressional redistricting in a State 
is conducted in accordance with a redistricting plan 
developed by a commission which was established in 
the State pursuant to a law enacted prior to the 
date of the enactment of this title, the redistricting 
shall be deemed to meet the requirement of subpara-
graph (A) of paragraph (1). 
(3) OTHER CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES PER-
MITTED.—Nothing in this title or the amendments 
made by this title may be construed to prohibit a 
State from conducting Congressional redistricting in 
accordance with such criteria and procedures as the 
State considers appropriate, to the extent that such 
criteria and procedures are consistent with the appli-
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232 
cable requirements of this title and the amendments 
made by this title. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 22(c) of 
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fifteenth and 
subsequent decennial censuses and to provide for an ap-
portionment of Representatives in Congress’’, approved 
June 18, 1929 (2 U.S.C. 2a(c)), is amended by striking 
‘‘in the manner provided by the law thereof’’ and insert-
ing: ‘‘in the manner provided by the John Tanner Fair-
ness and Independence in Redistricting Act’’. 
SEC. 3004. INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING COMMISSION. 
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.—Each State 
shall establish an independent redistricting commis-
sion composed of— 
(A) a chair, who shall be appointed by ma-
jority vote of the other members of the commis-
sion; and 
(B) an equal number of members (but not 
fewer than one) from each of the following cat-
egories: 
(i) Members appointed by a member 
of the upper house of the State legislature 
who represents the political party with the 
greatest number of seats in that house. 
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(ii) Members appointed by a member 
of the upper house of the State legislature 
who represents the political party with the 
second greatest number of seats in that 
house. 
(iii) Members appointed by a member 
of the lower house of the State legislature 
who represents the political party with the 
greatest number of seats in that house. 
(iv) Members appointed by a member 
of the lower house of the State legislature 
who represents the political party with the 
second greatest number of seats in that 
house. 
(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR STATES WITH UNICAM-
ERAL LEGISLATURE.—In the case of a State with a 
unicameral legislature, the independent redistricting 
commission established under this subsection shall 
be composed of— 
(A) a chair, who shall be appointed by ma-
jority vote of the other members of the commis-
sion; and 
(B) an equal number of members (but not 
fewer than two) from each of the following cat-
egories: 
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(i) Members appointed by a member 
of the legislature who shall be selected by 
the chair of the Government Affairs Com-
mittee of the legislature to represent the 
State political party whose candidate for 
chief executive of the State received the 
greatest number of votes on average in the 
3 most recent general elections for that of-
fice. 
(ii) Members appointed by a member 
of the legislature who shall be selected by 
the chair of the Government Affairs Com-
mittee of the legislature to represent the 
State political party whose candidate for 
chief executive of the State received the 
second greatest number of votes on aver-
age in the 3 most recent general elections 
for that office. 
(3) ELIGIBILITY.—An individual is eligible to 
serve as a member of an independent redistricting 
commission if— 
(A) as of the date of appointment, the in-
dividual is registered to vote in elections for 
Federal office held in the State, and was reg-
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notice, the commission may submit redistricting 
plans developed by the commission under this sec-
tion to the legislature of the State. 
(2) CONSIDERATION
OF
PLAN
BY
LEGISLA-
TURE.—After receiving any redistricting plan under 
paragraph (1), the legislature of a State may— 
(A) approve the plan as submitted by the 
commission without amendment and forward 
the plan to the chief executive of the State; or 
(B) reject the plan. 
(3) ENACTMENT OF PLAN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A redistricting plan de-
veloped by the commission shall be considered 
to be enacted into law only if the plan is for-
warded to the chief executive of the State pur-
suant to paragraph (2)(A) and— 
(i) the chief executive approves the 
plan as forwarded by the legislature with-
out amendment; or 
(ii) the chief executive vetoes the plan 
and the legislature overrides the veto in ac-
cordance with the applicable law of the 
State, except that at no time may the plan 
be amended. 
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