I 
★
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 270 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the system of 
public financing for Presidential elections, to establish a system of public 
financing for Congressional elections, to promote the disclosure of dis-
bursements made in coordination with campaigns for election for Federal 
office, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 15, 2013 
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. 
YARMUTH, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. POLIS, 
Mr. HOLT, Mr. NOLAN, and Mr. O’ROURKE) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and 
in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform 
the system of public financing for Presidential elections, 
to establish a system of public financing for Congres-
sional elections, to promote the disclosure of disburse-
ments made in coordination with campaigns for election 
for Federal office, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Empowering Citizens Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—REFORM OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FINANCING 
Subtitle A—Primary Elections 
Sec. 101. Increase in and modifications to matching payments. 
Sec. 102. Eligibility requirements for matching payments. 
Sec. 103. Inflation adjustment for matching contributions. 
Sec. 104. Repeal of expenditure limitations. 
Sec. 105. Period of availability of matching payments. 
Sec. 106. Examination and audits of matchable contributions. 
Sec. 107. Modification to limitation on contributions for Presidential primary 
candidates. 
Subtitle B—General Elections 
Sec. 111. Modification of eligibility requirements for public financing. 
Sec. 112. Repeal of expenditure limitations and use of qualified campaign con-
tributions. 
Sec. 113. Matching payments and other modifications to payment amounts. 
Sec. 114. Inflation adjustment for payment amounts. 
Sec. 115. Increase in limit on coordinated party expenditures. 
Sec. 116. Establishment of uniform date for release of payments. 
Sec. 117. Amounts in Presidential Election Campaign Fund. 
Sec. 118. Use of general election payments for general election legal and ac-
counting compliance. 
Subtitle C—Political Conventions 
Sec. 121. Repeal of public financing of party conventions. 
Sec. 122. Contributions for political conventions. 
Sec. 123. Prohibition on use of soft money. 
TITLE II—PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION 
CAMPAIGNS 
Sec. 201. Benefits and eligibility requirements for Congressional candidates. 
‘‘TITLE V—PUBLIC FINANCING OF CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION 
CAMPAIGNS 
‘‘Subtitle A—Benefits 
‘‘Sec. 501. Benefits for participating candidates. 
‘‘Sec. 502. Administration of payments. 
‘‘Sec. 503. Qualified contribution defined. 
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‘‘Subtitle B—Eligibility and Certification 
‘‘Sec. 511. Eligibility. 
‘‘Sec. 512. Qualified contribution requirements. 
‘‘Sec. 513. Certification. 
‘‘Subtitle C—Requirements for Candidates Certified as Participating 
Candidates 
‘‘Sec. 521. Restrictions on certain contributions and expenditures. 
‘‘Sec. 522. Remitting unspent funds after election. 
‘‘Subtitle D—Administrative Provisions 
‘‘Sec. 531. Administration by Commission. 
‘‘Sec. 532. Violations and penalties. 
‘‘Sec. 533. Election cycle defined. 
Sec. 202. Permitting unlimited coordinated expenditures by political party com-
mittees on behalf of participating candidates if expenditures 
are derived from small dollar contributions. 
Sec. 203. Prohibiting use of contributions by participating candidates for pur-
poses other than campaign for election. 
TITLE III—COORDINATED CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY 
Sec. 301. Clarification of treatment of coordinated expenditures as contribu-
tions to candidates. 
Sec. 302. Clarification of ban on fundraising for super PACs by Federal can-
didates and officeholders. 
TITLE IV—USE OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN FUND 
FOR PUBLIC FINANCING OF FEDERAL ELECTIONS 
Sec. 401. Use of Presidential Election Campaign Fund for Congressional can-
didates. 
Sec. 402. Revisions to designation of income tax payments by individual tax-
payers. 
Sec. 403. Donation to Presidential Election Campaign Fund. 
TITLE V—OTHER CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS 
Sec. 501. Regulations with respect to best efforts for identifying persons mak-
ing contributions. 
Sec. 502. Prohibition on joint fundraising committees. 
Sec. 503. Disclosure of bundled contributions to Presidential campaigns. 
Sec. 504. Judicial review of actions related to campaign finance laws. 
TITLE VI—SEVERABILITY; EFFECTIVE DATE 
Sec. 601. Severability. 
Sec. 602. Effective date. 
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HR 270 IH1S 
TITLE 
I—REFORM 
OF 
PRESI-
DENTIAL ELECTION FINANC-
ING 
Subtitle A—Primary Elections 
SEC. 101. INCREASE IN AND MODIFICATIONS TO MATCHING 
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 500 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 $250)’’; 
and 
(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 
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(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 50% of the limit ap-
plicable under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph 
(2)(A) of section 315(a) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 to the amount of a con-
tribution which may be made to a candidate 
who is not eligible to receive payments under 
section 9037 with respect to such nomination; 
‘‘(B) such candidate and the authorized 
committees of such candidate will not accept 
contributions from such individual (including 
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such matchable contribution) aggregating more 
than the amount described in subparagraph 
(A); and 
‘‘(C) such contribution was not— 
‘‘(i) forwarded from the contributor 
from 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 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).’’. 
(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
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(A) Section 9032(4) of such Code is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 9034(a)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘section 9034’’. 
(B) Section 9033(b)(3) of such Code is 
amended by striking ‘‘matching contributions’’ 
and inserting ‘‘matchable contributions’’. 
(b) MODIFICATION OF PAYMENT LIMITATION.—Sec-
tion 9034(b) of such Code is amended by striking ‘‘shall 
not exceed’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘shall not 
exceed $100,000,000.’’ 
SEC. 102. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MATCHING 
PAYMENTS. 
(a) AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTIONS PER 
STATE; DISREGARDING OF AMOUNTS CONTRIBUTED IN 
EXCESS OF $250.—Section 9033(b)(3) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended— 
(1) 
by 
striking 
‘‘$5,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$25,000’’; and 
(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 $250)’’. 
(b) CONTRIBUTION LIMIT.— 
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(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 50% of the limit applica-
ble under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph (2)(A) of 
section 315(a) of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 to the amount of a contribution which 
may be made to a candidate who is not eligible to 
receive payments under section 9037 with respect to 
such nomination.’’. 
(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 101(a)(3)(A) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘or 9033(b)’’ after ‘‘9034’’. 
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(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 any bundled 
contribution (as defined in section 304(i)(8)) for-
warded by or credited to a person described in sec-
tion 304(i)(7).’’. 
(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-
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didate will apply for and accept payments with re-
spect to the general election for such office in ac-
cordance with chapter 95.’’. 
SEC. 103. INFLATION ADJUSTMENT FOR MATCHING CON-
TRIBUTIONS. 
Section 9033 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any applica-
ble period beginning after 2013, each of the dollar 
amounts in section 9034(b) shall be increased by an 
amount equal to— 
‘‘(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 2013’ 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 last general election for the 
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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 $100, such 
amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of 
$100.’’. 
SEC. 104. 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.’’. 
(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. 105. 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-
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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. 106. 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. 107. MODIFICATION TO LIMITATION ON CONTRIBU-
TIONS FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CAN-
DIDATES. 
Section 315(a)(6) of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(6)) is amended by striking 
‘‘calendar year’’ and inserting ‘‘four-year election cycle’’. 
Subtitle B—General Elections 
SEC. 111. 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: 
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‘‘(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. 
‘‘(3) BAN
ON
CERTAIN
CONTRIBUTIONS
AND 
SOLICITATIONS.—The candidates certify to the Com-
mission, under penalty of perjury, the following: 
‘‘(A) BUNDLED
CONTRIBUTIONS.—Such 
candidates and the authorized committees of 
such candidates will not accept any bundled 
contribution (as defined in section 304(i)(8)) 
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forwarded by or credited to a person described 
in section 304(i)(7). 
‘‘(B) SOLICITATIONS
FOR
JOINT
FUND-
RAISING
COMMITTEES.—Such candidates and 
their authorized committees will not, after June 
1 of the election year, solicit any funds for any 
joint fundraising committee that includes any 
committee of a political party. 
‘‘(C) SOLICITATION FOR POLITICAL PAR-
TIES.—Such candidates and their authorized 
committees will not, after June 1 of the year in 
which the election is held, solicit any funds for 
any committee of a political party. 
Such certification shall be made within such time 
prior to the day of the presidential election as the 
Commission shall prescribe by rules or regulations.’’. 
SEC. 112. REPEAL OF EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS AND USE 
OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. 
(a) USE OF QUALIFIED CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS 
WITHOUT EXPENDITURE LIMITS; APPLICATION OF SAME 
REQUIREMENTS FOR MAJOR, MINOR, AND NEW PAR-
TIES.—Section 9003 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 is amended by striking subsections (b) and (c) and 
inserting the following: 
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‘‘(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). 
‘‘(2) TIMING
OF
CERTIFICATION.—The can-
didate shall make the certification required under 
this subsection at the same time the candidate 
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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) is made after June 1 of the year in 
which the election is held; 
‘‘(B) does not exceed 50% of the limit ap-
plicable under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph 
(2)(A) of section 315(a) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 to the amount of a con-
tribution which may be made to a candidate 
who is not eligible to receive payments under 
section 9006 with respect to such election; and 
‘‘(C) 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-
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tion) to such candidate and the authorized 
committees of such candidate in excess of 
the amount described in subparagraph (B), 
and 
‘‘(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 (B) 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 (2 U.S.C. 
441a) is amended by striking subsection (b). 
(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 
315(c) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441a(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.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Section 9007(b) of 
such Code is amended by striking paragraph 
(2) and redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and 
(5) as paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respec-
tively. 
(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 
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SAME PENALTY FOR CANDIDATES OF MAJOR, 
MINOR, AND NEW PARTIES.—Subsection (b) of 
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.’’. 
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SEC. 113. MATCHING PAYMENTS AND OTHER MODIFICA-
TIONS TO PAYMENT AMOUNTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(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 500 percent of the amount 
of each matchable contribution received by such candidate 
on or after June 1 of the year of the presidential election, 
or by his 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 $250), except that total amount to which 
a candidate is entitled under this paragraph shall not ex-
ceed $150,000,000.’’. 
(2) REPEAL
OF
SEPARATE
LIMITATIONS
FOR 
CANDIDATES OF MINOR AND NEW PARTIES.—Section 
9004 of such Code is amended by striking sub-
section (b). 
(3) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
9005(a) of such Code is amended by adding at the 
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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 112, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(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 50% of the limit ap-
plicable under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph 
(2)(A) of section 315(a) of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 to the amount of a con-
tribution which may be made to a candidate 
who is not eligible to receive payments under 
section 9006 with respect to such election; 
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‘‘(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 
from 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 that a certain 
amount of money has been raised by such 
person.’’. 
SEC. 
114. 
INFLATION 
ADJUSTMENT 
FOR 
PAYMENT 
AMOUNTS. 
Section 9004 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(f) INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any applica-
ble period beginning after 2017, each of the dollar 
amounts in subsection (a)(1) shall be increased by 
an amount equal to— 
‘‘(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 2016’ 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 last 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 $100, such 
amount shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of 
$100.’’. 
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SEC. 115. INCREASE IN LIMIT ON COORDINATED PARTY EX-
PENDITURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 315(d)(2) of the Federal 
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(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 $50,000,000. 
‘‘(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-
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-
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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 (2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)), as amended by section 
112(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 2017— 
‘‘(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 
‘‘(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 (2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(2)(B)), as amended by sec-
tion 112(d)(1)(B), is amended— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
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(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 2016.’’. 
SEC. 116. 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-
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 
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‘‘(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. 117. 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-
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, except that 
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the amount of the estimate may not exceed the average 
of the annual amounts deposited in the fund during 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 
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-
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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, 2014. 
SEC. 118. USE OF GENERAL ELECTION PAYMENTS FOR GEN-
ERAL ELECTION LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING 
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 
shall be considered to be an expense to further the election 
of such candidate.’’. 
Subtitle C—Political Conventions 
SEC. 121. REPEAL OF PUBLIC FINANCING OF PARTY CON-
VENTIONS. 
(a) REPEAL.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 95 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking sec-
tion 9008. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions of chapter 95 of such Code is amended by 
striking the item relating to section 9008. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) AVAILABILITY
OF
PAYMENTS
TO
CAN-
DIDATES.—Section 9006(c) of such Code is amended 
by striking ‘‘section 9008(b)(3)’’. 
(2) REPORTS BY FEDERAL ELECTION COMMIS-
SION.—Section 9009 of such Code is amended— 
(A) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (2); 
(B) by striking the semicolon at the end of 
paragraph (3) and inserting a period; and 
(C) by striking paragraphs (4), (5), and 
(6). 
(3) PENALTIES.—Section 9012 of such Code, 
as amended by section 112(d)(4), is amended— 
(A) by striking subsection (a) and redesig-
nating subsections (b) through (g) as sub-
sections (a) through (f), respectively; 
(B) in subsection (b), as redesignated by 
subparagraph (A), by striking paragraph (2) 
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and redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph 
(2); 
(C) in subsection (d)(1), as redesignated 
by subparagraph (A), by striking the second 
sentence; and 
(D) in subsection (d)(3), as redesignated 
by subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘, or in con-
nection with any expense incurred by the na-
tional committee of a major party or minor 
party with respect to a presidential nominating 
convention’’. 
(4) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS FROM PRESI-
DENTIAL PRIMARY MATCHING ACCOUNT.—The sec-
ond sentence of section 9037(a) of such Code is 
amended by striking ‘‘and for payments under sec-
tion 9008(b)(3)’’. 
SEC. 122. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR POLITICAL CONVENTIONS. 
(a) SEPARATE CONTRIBUTION LIMITATION.— 
(1) INDIVIDUALS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Section 315(a)(1) of 
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)) is amended— 
(i) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (C); 
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(ii) by striking the period at the end 
of subparagraph (D) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) to the national nominating convention 
account of political committees established and 
maintained by a national political party, in any 
4-year period ending on the last day of the cal-
endar year beginning on the day after a general 
election for the office of President which, in the 
aggregate, exceed the dollar amount in effect 
under subparagraph (B);’’. 
(B) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
315(a)(1)(B) 
of 
such 
Act 
(2 
U.S.C. 
441a(a)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(other 
than to the national nominating convention ac-
counts of such political committees which are 
described in subparagraph (E))’’ after ‘‘national 
political party’’. 
(2) AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTION LIMITATION.— 
Section 315(a)(3) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new 
flush sentence: 
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‘‘The dollar amount in subparagraph (B) shall be in-
creased by the amount of contributions (not in excess of 
the dollar amount in effect under subparagraph (E)) made 
to the national nominating convention account of a polit-
ical committee established and maintained by a national 
political party during the period described in the preceding 
sentence.’’. 
(b) NATIONAL
NOMINATING
CONVENTION
AC-
COUNT.—Section 315(a) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441a(a)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(9) For purposes of this subsection, the national 
nomination convention account of any political committees 
established and maintained by a national political party 
is a separate account the funds of which may only be used 
to defray the costs of the national nominating convention 
of such party.’’. 
SEC. 123. PROHIBITION ON USE OF SOFT MONEY. 
Section 323 of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441i) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(g) NATIONAL
CONVENTIONS.—Any person de-
scribed in subsection (a) or (e) shall not solicit, receive, 
direct, transfer, or spend any funds in connection with a 
presidential nominating convention of any political party, 
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including funds from or for a host committee, civic com-
mittee, municipality, or any other person or entity spend-
ing funds in connection with such a convention, unless 
such funds— 
‘‘(1) are not in excess of the amounts permitted 
with respect to contributions to the political com-
mittee established and maintained by a national po-
litical party committee under section 315; and 
‘‘(2) are not from sources prohibited by this Act 
from making contributions in connection with an 
election for Federal office.’’. 
TITLE 
II—PUBLIC 
FINANCING 
FOR CONGRESSIONAL ELEC-
TION CAMPAIGNS 
SEC. 201. BENEFITS AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR 
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES. 
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 
U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
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‘‘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 
shall be equal to 500 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 
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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 $250. 
‘‘(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 
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— 
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‘‘(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— 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘SEC. 502. ADMINISTRATION OF PAYMENTS. 
‘‘(a) TIMING.—The Commission shall make payments 
under this title to a participating candidate— 
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‘‘(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. 
‘‘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-
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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 that a cer-
tain amount of money has been raised by such 
person. 
‘‘(4) The contribution meets the requirements 
of section 512(b). 
‘‘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 
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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— 
‘‘(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 
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‘‘(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 
‘‘(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.— 
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‘‘(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— 
‘‘(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 
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contributed by such person for the election 
exceeds $250, 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 
$250. 
‘‘(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 
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— 
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‘‘(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.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 10 days 
after a candidate files an affidavit under section 
511(a)(3), the Commission shall— 
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‘‘(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 
participating candidate with respect to a pri-
mary election who fails to qualify to appear on 
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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) 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN OTHERWISE AP-
PLICABLE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS.—In the case of a can-
didate who is certified as a participating candidate under 
this title with respect to an election, the limit applicable 
under paragraph (1)(A) or paragraph (2)(A) of section 
315(a) to the amount of a contribution which may be 
made to the candidate and any authorized committee of 
the candidate with respect to the election shall be equal 
to 50% of the amount applicable under such paragraph 
to a contribution made to a candidate with respect to the 
election who is not certified as a participating candidate 
under this title. 
‘‘(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 any contribu-
tion with respect to the election which is a bundled con-
tribution (as defined in section 304(i)(8)) forwarded by 
or credited to a person described in section 304(i)(7). 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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‘‘(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.— 
‘‘(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). 
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‘‘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; 
‘‘(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 
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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.— 
‘‘(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-
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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, 
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. 202. PERMITTING UNLIMITED COORDINATED EXPEND-
ITURES BY POLITICAL PARTY COMMITTEES 
ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPATING CANDIDATES 
IF 
EXPENDITURES 
ARE 
DERIVED 
FROM 
SMALL DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS. 
Section 315(d) of the Federal Election Campaign Act 
of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) 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 
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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-
tion cycle in an amount which does not exceed 50% of 
the amount applicable under subsection (a)(1)(A) to a 
contribution made during the cycle to a candidate who is 
not certified as a participating candidate under title V.’’. 
SEC. 203. 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 (2 U.S.C. 439a) 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 paragraphs (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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TITLE III—COORDINATED 
CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY 
SEC. 301. CLARIFICATION OF TREATMENT OF COORDI-
NATED EXPENDITURES AS CONTRIBUTIONS 
TO CANDIDATES. 
(a) TREATMENT
AS
CONTRIBUTION
TO
CAN-
DIDATE.—Section 301(8)(A) of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(A)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of clause (i); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of clause 
(ii) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) any payment made by any person 
(other than a candidate, an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate, or a political committee 
of a political party) for a coordinated expendi-
ture (as such term is defined in section 324) 
which is not otherwise treated as a contribution 
under clause (i) or clause (ii).’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 324 of such Act (2 
U.S.C. 441k) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 324. PAYMENTS FOR COORDINATED EXPENDITURES. 
‘‘(a) COORDINATED EXPENDITURES.— 
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‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For purposes of section 
301(8)(A)(iii), the term ‘coordinated expenditure’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) any expenditure, including a payment 
for a covered communication described in sub-
section (c), which is made in cooperation, con-
sultation, or concert with, or at the request or 
suggestion of, a candidate, an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate, a political committee of 
a political party, or agents of the candidate or 
committee, as provided in subsection (b); or 
‘‘(B) any payment for any communication 
which republishes, disseminates, or distributes, 
in whole or in part, any broadcast or any writ-
ten, graphic, or other form of campaign mate-
rial prepared by the candidate or committee or 
by agents of the candidate or committee. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION FOR PAYMENTS FOR CERTAIN 
COMMUNICATIONS.—A payment for a communication 
(including a covered communication described in 
subsection (c)) shall not be treated as a coordinated 
expenditure under this subsection if— 
‘‘(A) the communication appears in a news 
story, commentary, or editorial distributed 
through the facilities of any broadcasting sta-
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tion, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical 
publication, unless such facilities are owned or 
controlled by any political party, political com-
mittee, or candidate; or 
‘‘(B) the communication constitutes a can-
didate debate or forum conducted pursuant to 
regulations adopted by the Commission pursu-
ant to section 304(f)(3)(B)(iii), or which solely 
promotes such a debate or forum and is made 
by or on behalf of the person sponsoring the de-
bate or forum. 
‘‘(b) COORDINATION DESCRIBED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, a payment is made ‘in cooperation, consulta-
tion, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion 
of,’ a candidate, an authorized committee of a can-
didate, a political committee of a political party, or 
agents of the candidate or committee, if the payment 
is not made entirely independently of the candidate, 
committee, or agents, including a payment which is 
made pursuant to any general or particular under-
standing, or more than incidental communication 
with, the candidate, committee, or agents about the 
payment. 
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‘‘(2) NO
FINDING
OF
COORDINATION
BASED 
SOLELY ON SHARING OF INFORMATION REGARDING 
LEGISLATIVE OR POLICY POSITION.—For purposes 
of this section, a payment shall not be considered to 
be made by a person in cooperation, consultation, or 
concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a 
candidate or committee, solely on the grounds that 
the person or the person’s agent engaged in discus-
sions with the candidate or committee, or with 
agents of the candidate or committee, regarding that 
person’s position on a legislative or policy matter 
(including urging the candidate or committee to 
adopt that person’s position), so long as there is no 
discussion between the person and the candidate or 
committee, or agents of the candidate or committee, 
regarding the candidate’s or committee’s campaign 
advertising, message, strategy, policy, polling, alloca-
tion of resources, fundraising, or campaign oper-
ations. 
‘‘(3) NO
EFFECT
ON
PARTY
COORDINATION 
STANDARD.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to affect the determination of coordination 
between a candidate and a political committee of a 
political party for purposes of section 315(d). 
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‘‘(4) NO
SAFE
HARBOR
FOR
USE
OF
FIRE-
WALL.—A person shall be determined to have made 
a payment in cooperation, consultation, or concert 
with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate 
or committee, in accordance with this section with-
out regard to whether or not the person established 
and used a firewall or similar procedures to restrict 
the sharing of information between individuals pro-
viding services for or on behalf of the person and the 
candidate or committee or agents of the candidate or 
committee. 
‘‘(c) SPECIAL RULE FOR PAYMENTS BY COORDI-
NATED SPENDERS FOR COVERED COMMUNICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) PAYMENTS DEEMED TO BE MADE IN CO-
OPERATION, CONSULTATION, OR
CONCERT
WITH, 
CANDIDATES.—For purposes of this section, if the 
person who makes a payment for a covered commu-
nication is a coordinated spender with respect to the 
candidate involved, the person shall be deemed to 
have made the payment in cooperation, consultation, 
or concert with the candidate. 
‘‘(2) COORDINATED SPENDER DEFINED.—For 
purposes of this subsection, the term ‘coordinated 
spender’ means, with respect to a candidate or an 
authorized committee of a candidate, a person (other 
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than a political committee of a political party) for 
which any of the following applies: 
‘‘(A) The person is directly or indirectly 
formed or established by or at the request or 
suggestion of, or with the encouragement of, 
the candidate or committee or agents of the 
candidate or committee, including with the ex-
press or tacit approval of the candidate or com-
mittee or agents of the candidate or committee. 
‘‘(B) The candidate or committee or agents 
of the candidate or committee solicit funds or 
engage in other fundraising activity on the per-
son’s behalf during the election cycle involved, 
including by providing the person with names of 
potential donors or other lists to be used by the 
person in engaging in fundraising activity, re-
gardless of whether the person pays fair market 
value for the names or lists provided. 
‘‘(C) The person is established, directed, or 
managed by any person who, during the elec-
tion cycle involved or during the 4-year period 
ending on the first day of the election cycle in-
volved, has been employed or retained as a po-
litical, media, or fundraising adviser or consult-
ant for the candidate or committee or for any 
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other entity directly or indirectly controlled by 
the candidate or committee, or has held a for-
mal position with a title for the candidate or 
committee. 
‘‘(D) During the election cycle involved, 
the person has had more than incidental com-
munications with the candidate or committee or 
agents of the candidate or committee about the 
candidate’s campaign needs or activities, or 
about the person’s possible or actual campaign 
activities with respect to the candidate or com-
mittee. 
‘‘(E) The person has retained the profes-
sional services of any person who, during the 
same election cycle, has provided or is providing 
professional services relating to the campaign to 
the candidate or committee. For purposes of 
this subparagraph, the term ‘professional serv-
ices’ includes any services in support of the can-
didate’s or committee’s campaign activities, in-
cluding advertising, message, strategy, policy, 
polling, allocation of resources, fundraising, and 
campaign operations, but does not include ac-
counting or legal services. 
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‘‘(F) The person is established, directed, or 
managed by a member of the immediate family 
of the candidate, or (in the case of a person 
that is a political committee) has received a 
contribution from a member of the immediate 
family of the candidate. For purposes of this 
subparagraph, the term ‘immediate family’ has 
the meaning given such term in section 9004(e) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
‘‘(d) COVERED COMMUNICATION DEFINED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘covered communication’ means, with 
respect to a candidate or an authorized committee of 
a candidate, a public communication (as defined in 
section 301(22)) which— 
‘‘(A) promotes or supports the candidate, 
or attacks or opposes an opponent of the can-
didate (regardless of whether the communica-
tion expressly advocates the election or defeat 
of a candidate or contains the functional equiv-
alent of express advocacy); or 
‘‘(B) refers to the candidate or an oppo-
nent of the candidate but is not described in 
subparagraph (A), but only if the communica-
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tion is disseminated during the applicable elec-
tion period. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABLE ELECTION PERIOD.—In para-
graph (1)(B), the ‘applicable election period’ with re-
spect to a communication means— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a communication which 
refers to a candidate for the office of President 
or Vice President, the period which begins on 
the date that is 120 days before the date of the 
first primary election, preference election, or 
nominating convention for nomination for the 
office of President which is held in any State 
and ends with the date of the general election 
for such office; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a communication which 
refers to a candidate for any other office, which 
begins on the date that is 90 days before the 
primary or preference election, or convention or 
caucus of a political party that has authority to 
nominate a candidate, for the office sought by 
the candidate and ends on the date of the gen-
eral election for such office. 
‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULES FOR COMMUNICATIONS IN-
VOLVING
CONGRESSIONAL
CANDIDATES.—For pur-
poses of this subsection, a public communication 
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shall not be considered to be a covered communica-
tion with respect to a candidate for election for an 
office other than the office of President or Vice 
President unless it is publicly disseminated or dis-
tributed in the jurisdiction of the office the can-
didate is seeking. 
‘‘(e) ELECTION CYCLE DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘election cycle’ means, with respect to an election 
for Federal office, 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 gen-
eral election resulted in a runoff election, the date of the 
runoff election).’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) REPEAL OF EXISTING REGULATIONS ON CO-
ORDINATION.—Effective upon the expiration of the 
90-day period which begins on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act— 
(A) the regulations on coordinated commu-
nications adopted by the Federal Election Com-
mission which are in effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act (as set forth in 11 CFR 
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Part 109, Subpart C, under the heading ‘‘Co-
ordination’’) are repealed; and 
(B) the Federal Election Commission shall 
promulgate new regulations on coordinated 
communications which reflect the amendments 
made by this Act. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this section shall apply with respect to payments 
made on or after the expiration of the 120-day pe-
riod which begins on the date of the enactment of 
this Act, without regard to whether or not the Fed-
eral Election Commission has promulgated regula-
tions in accordance with paragraph (1)(B) as of the 
expiration of such period. 
SEC. 302. CLARIFICATION OF BAN ON FUNDRAISING FOR 
SUPER PACS BY FEDERAL CANDIDATES AND 
OFFICEHOLDERS. 
Section 323(e)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441i(e)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph 
(A); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (B) and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
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‘‘(C) solicit, receive, direct, or transfer 
funds to or on behalf of any political committee 
which accepts donations or contributions that 
do not comply with the limitations, prohibitions, 
and reporting requirements of this Act (or to or 
on behalf of any account of a political com-
mittee which is established for the purpose of 
accepting such donations or contributions), or 
to or on behalf of any political organization 
under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 which accepts such donations or con-
tributions (other than a committee of a State or 
local political party or a candidate for election 
for State or local office).’’. 
TITLE 
IV—USE 
OF 
PRESI-
DENTIAL 
ELECTION 
CAM-
PAIGN FUND FOR PUBLIC FI-
NANCING OF FEDERAL ELEC-
TIONS 
SEC. 401. 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: 
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