I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3574 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for 
limitations on expenditures in elections for the House of Representatives. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 
Mr. HIGGINS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to 
provide for limitations on expenditures in elections for 
the House of Representatives. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Restoring Confidence Through Smarter Campaigns 
Act’’. 
(b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The Supreme Court decision in Buckley v. 
Valeo failed to recognize that unlimited spending on 
elections has a corrosive effect on the electoral proc-
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ess and on public confidence in the integrity of the 
electoral process. 
(2) Restoring Congress’s regulatory power over 
campaign expenditures will level the playing field by 
creating a realistic opportunity for more Americans 
to seek Federal office and by encouraging elections 
that are more competitive. 
(3) Limiting the need for incessant fundraising 
by Members of Congress may restore the public’s 
confidence in both the electoral process and in the 
accountability of Members to the constituents who 
elect them. 
SEC. 2. EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS IN HOUSE ELECTIONS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF LIMITATIONS.—Section 315 
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
441a) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(k) EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS IN HOUSE ELEC-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A candidate for elec-
tion for the office of Representative in, or Dele-
gate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress 
and the authorized committees of the candidate 
may not make expenditures which in the aggre-
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gate exceed $500,000 during the election cycle, 
of which— 
‘‘(i) not more than $250,000 may be 
attributable to expenditures made with re-
spect to a primary election; and 
‘‘(ii) not more than $250,000 may be 
attributable to expenditures made with re-
spect to a general election. 
‘‘(B) INCREASE IN LIMITATIONS FOR RUN-
OFF ELECTIONS.—In the case of a candidate in 
a runoff election, the candidate and the author-
ized committees of the candidate may make an 
additional amount of expenditures which in the 
aggregate do not exceed $250,000, of which— 
‘‘(i) not more than $125,000 may be 
attributable to expenditures made with re-
spect to a primary runoff election; and 
‘‘(ii) not more than $125,000 may be 
attributable to expenditures made with re-
spect to a general runoff election. 
‘‘(2) 
EXCLUSION
OF
EXPENDITURES
FOR 
LEGAL
SERVICES.—In determining the amount of 
expenditures made for purposes of this subsection, 
there shall be excluded any expenditures made for 
legal services in connection with the campaign. 
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‘‘(3) PENALTIES.—Any candidate who makes 
expenditures in an election in excess of the limit ap-
plicable to the election under paragraph (1) shall 
pay to the Commission a civil money penalty in an 
amount determined as follows: 
‘‘(A) If the amount of expenditures in ex-
cess of the limit is equal to or less than 2.5 per-
cent of the amount of the limit, the penalty 
shall be equal to the amount of the excess ex-
penditures. 
‘‘(B) If the amount of expenditures in ex-
cess of the limit is greater than 2.5 percent but 
equal to or less than 5 percent of the amount 
of the limit, the penalty shall be equal to 300 
percent of the amount of the excess expendi-
tures. 
‘‘(C) If the amount of expenditures in ex-
cess of the limit is greater than 5 percent of the 
amount of the limit, the penalty shall be equal 
to the sum of 300 percent of the amount of the 
excess expenditures plus an additional penalty 
determined by the Commission.’’. 
(b) INDEXING OF AMOUNTS.— 
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(1) 
APPLICATION
OF
INDEXING.—Section 
315(c)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1)) is 
amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ‘‘or 
(h)’’ and inserting ‘‘(h), or (k)’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and 
(h)’’ and inserting ‘‘(h), and (k)’’. 
(2) DETERMINATION OF BASE YEAR.—Section 
315(c)(2)(B) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(2)(B)) 
is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause 
(i); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(iii) for purposes of subsection (k), 
calendar year 2011.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to elections held on 
or after January 1, 2011. 
Æ 
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