I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2817 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for expendi-
ture limitations and public financing for House of Representatives general 
elections, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 21, 2007 
Mr. OBEY (for himself, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FRANK of Massachu-
setts, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. STARK, Mr. UDALL of New Mex-
ico, and Mr. WAXMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Ways and Means and Rules, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to 
provide for expenditure limitations and public financing 
for House of Representatives general elections, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDING. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act’’. 
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(b) FINDING.—The Congress finds that the existing 
system of private political contributions has become a fun-
damental threat to the integrity of the national election 
process, has undermined public confidence in the legit-
imacy of that election process, and that the provisions con-
tained in this Act are necessary to prevent the corruption 
of the public’s faith in the Nation’s system of governance. 
TITLE I—EXPENDITURE LIMITA-
TIONS AND PUBLIC FINANC-
ING 
FOR 
HOUSE 
OF 
REP-
RESENTATIVES 
GENERAL 
ELECTIONS 
SEC. 101. EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS AND PUBLIC FI-
NANCING OF HOUSE GENERAL ELECTIONS. 
(a) EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS
AND PUBLIC FI-
NANCING.—The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 
(2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new title: 
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‘‘TITLE V—EXPENDITURE LIMI-
TATIONS 
AND 
PUBLIC 
FI-
NANCING 
FOR 
HOUSE 
OF 
REPRESENTATIVES GENERAL 
ELECTIONS 
‘‘SEC. 501. LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURES IN HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES GENERAL ELECTIONS. 
‘‘A candidate in a House of Representatives general 
election may not make expenditures other than as pro-
vided in this title. 
‘‘SEC. 502. SOURCES OF AMOUNTS FOR EXPENDITURES BY 
CANDIDATES IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIVES GENERAL ELECTIONS. 
‘‘The only sources of amounts for expenditures by 
candidates in House of Representatives general elections 
shall be— 
‘‘(1) the Grassroots Good Citizenship Fund 
under section 506; and 
‘‘(2) additional amounts from State and na-
tional party committees under section 507. 
‘‘SEC. 503. DISTRICT LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURES BY 
MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sections 
505 and 507, the maximum amounts of expenditures by 
major party candidates in House of Representatives gen-
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eral elections shall be based on the median household in-
come of the districts involved, as provided for in sub-
sections (b) and (c). 
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM FOR WEALTHIEST DISTRICT.—In the 
congressional district with the highest median household 
income, maximum combined expenditures for all major 
party candidates with respect to a House of Representa-
tives general election shall be a total of $2,000,000. 
‘‘(c) MAXIMUM
FOR OTHER DISTRICTS.—In each 
congressional district, other than the district referred to 
in subsection (b), the maximum combined expenditures for 
all major party candidates with respect to a House of Rep-
resentatives general election shall be an amount equal to— 
‘‘(1) the maximum amount referred to in sub-
section (b), less 
‘‘(2) the amount equal to— 
‘‘(A) 2⁄3 of the percentage difference be-
tween the median household income of the dis-
trict involved and the median household income 
of the district referred to in subsection (b), 
times 
‘‘(B) the maximum amount referred to in 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(d) ALLOCATION.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The maximum expenditure 
for a major party candidate in a congressional dis-
trict shall bear the same ratio to the maximum 
amount under subsection (b) or (c), as applicable, as 
the total popular vote in the same precincts in which 
the general election will be held for candidates of the 
party in all House of Representatives general elec-
tions occurring during the period described in para-
graph (3) bears to the total popular vote in such 
precincts for candidates of all major parties in all 
such elections, except that in determining the total 
popular vote in such precincts for candidates of any 
party in elections occurring during the period de-
scribed in paragraph (3), votes cast in any House of 
Representatives general election for which there were 
fewer than 2 major party candidates shall not be 
taken into account. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION FOR DISTRICTS WITH NO CON-
TESTED
ELECTIONS.—If, during the period de-
scribed in paragraph (3), no House of Representa-
tives general election for which there were at least 
2 major party candidates was held in any of the 
same precincts in which the general election will be 
held, the maximum expenditure for a major party 
candidate in the district shall bear the same ratio to 
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the maximum amount under subsection (b) or (c), as 
applicable, as the total popular vote in all such pre-
cincts for candidates of the party in all elections for 
the office of Senator occurring during the period de-
scribed in paragraph (3) bears to the total popular 
vote in all such precincts for candidates of all major 
parties in all such elections. 
‘‘(3) PERIOD DESCRIBED.—With respect to a 
House of Representatives general election in a con-
gressional district, the period described in this para-
graph is the period beginning on the date of the 
third most recent House of Representatives general 
election held in the district and ending on the day 
before the date of the election. 
‘‘SEC. 504. DISTRICT LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURES BY 
THIRD 
PARTY 
AND 
INDEPENDENT 
CAN-
DIDATES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sections 
505 and 507, the maximum amounts of expenditures by 
third party and independent candidates in House of Rep-
resentatives general elections shall be the amount allo-
cated under subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION.—The maximum expenditure for a 
third party or independent candidate in a congressional 
district shall be the greater of the following amounts: 
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