Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/21pdf/21-12_m6hn.pdf
Page Number: 1.0

(Slip Opinion) 

OCTOBER  TERM,  2021 

1 

Syllabus 

NOTE:  Where  it  is  feasible,  a  syllabus  (headnote)  will  be  released,  as  is 
being  done  in  connection  with  this  case,  at  the  time  the  opinion  is  issued. 
The  syllabus  constitutes  no  part  of  the  opinion  of  the  Court  but  has  been 
prepared  by  the  Reporter  of  Decisions  for  the  convenience  of  the  reader. 
See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

Syllabus 

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION v. TED CRUZ FOR 
SENATE ET AL. 

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE 
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 

No. 21–12.  Argued January 19, 2022—Decided May 16, 2022 

During his 2018 Senate reelection campaign and consistent with federal
law, see 11 CFR §110.10; 52 U. S. C. §30101(9)(A)(i), appellee Ted Cruz
loaned  $260,000  to  his  campaign  committee,  Ted  Cruz  for  Senate 
(Committee).    To  repay  these  and  other  campaign  debts,  campaigns
may continue to receive contributions after election day.  See 11 CFR 
§110.1(b)(3)(i).  Section 304 of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 
2002 (BCRA) restricts the use of post-election contributions by limiting
the  amount  that  a  candidate  may  be  repaid  from  such  funds  to 
$250,000.  52 U. S. C. §30116(j).  Relevant here, the Federal Election 
Commission  (FEC)  has  promulgated  regulations  establishing  three 
rules to implement that limitation: First, a campaign may repay up to 
$250,000 in candidate loans using contributions made “at any time.” 
11 CFR §116.12(a).  Second, to the extent the loans exceed $250,000, a 
campaign  may use  pre-election  funds  to repay  the  portion  exceeding 
$250,000 only if the repayment occurs “within 20 days of the election.” 
§116.11(c)(1).  Third, when the 20-day post-election deadline expires, 
the campaign must treat any portion above $250,000 as a contribution
to the campaign, precluding later repayment.  §116.11(c)(2).  

The Committee began repaying Cruz’s loans after the 20-day post-
election  window  for  repaying  amounts  over  $250,000  had  closed.    It 
accordingly repaid Cruz only $250,000, leaving $10,000 of his personal
loans  unpaid.    Cruz  and  the  Committee  filed  this  action  in  Federal 
District  Court,  alleging  that  Section  304  of  BCRA  violates  the  First
Amendment and raising challenges to the FEC’s implementing regu-
lation, §116.11.  The District Court granted Cruz and his Committee 
summary  judgment  on  their  constitutional  claim,  holding  that  the 
loan-repayment limitation burdens political speech without sufficient