Restore Democracy Resolution

Bill: 115-hres-343
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Nolan, Richard M. [D-MN-8]
Introduced: 2017-05-18
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays

Congressional districts and representation

Congressional elections

Congressional operations and organization

Constitution and constitutional amendments

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

House of Representatives

Legislative rules and procedure

Members of Congress

Political advertising

Political parties and affiliation

State and local government operations

Supreme Court

Voting rights
Latest action: action_date: 2017-06-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-05-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Restore Democracy Resolution</b></p> <p> Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should enact and the states should ratify a constitutional amendment providing that any right of a corporation or other artificial entity to engage in political activity is not derived from the first amendment but from the laws of the United States and the states, and may be exercised only to the extent provided by such laws.</p> <p> Expresses the sense of the House that: (1) the case of <i>Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission </i>opened the door to the corrupting influence of money in politics; (2) Congress should have the power to regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with respect to federal elections; and (3) all political contributions should be publicly disclosed so that voters have complete information about who is paying for political advertisements.</p> <p> Expresses the sense of the House further regarding:</p> <ul> <li>creation of a small donor and public finance system for congressional elections,</li> <li>the power of Congress to implement and enforce campaign contribution and spending limits,</li> <li>the power of Congress to prohibit vote suppression activities,</li> <li>mandatory state online voter registration systems,</li> <li>declaration of Election Day as a legal public holiday,</li> <li>establishment of a federal reapportioment system that would create compact and contiguous congressional districts adhering to the existing standards of equal population,</li> <li>the power of the highest court of each state to reject congressional district maps that do not meet such criteria,</li> <li>hearings and reports on a bill or resolution by each committee to which the measure is referred,</li> <li>resolution of all items of difference by full conference committee membership,</li> <li>simultaneous House and Senate five-day work weeks in Washington and district work periods, and</li> <li>open rules for every bill brought to the floor of the House for a vote.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: IV 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 343 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 18, 2017 Mr. Nolan submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration , and in addition to the Committees on Rules , and the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding steps that Congress should take to restore democracy and change the way we do politics in the United States by reducing the influence of money and corporations and promoting the participation of the people in politics and government.

1. Short title This resolution may be cited as the Restore Democracy Resolution . 2. Purpose It is the purpose of this resolution to express the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should— (1) confirm that money is not free speech by making clear that corporations are not people for purposes of the First Amendment right to make campaign contributions; (2) clarify its power to set limits on the amount of money that can be spent on a campaign for election for Federal office; (3) clarify its power to provide for the public financing of elections; (4) limit the campaign advertising season to 60 days before an election and prohibit candidates from soliciting or collecting campaign contributions during legislative sessions; (5) protect the constitutional right to vote by expanding online voter registration systems; (6) emphasize the need for compact, contiguous congressional districts that are not gerrymandered to favor an incumbent or political party; and (7) restore regular order in the legislative process by requiring bills to go through committee consideration and come to the floor under an open rule. I Overturning Citizens United Decision and Corporate Citizenship 101. Constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United decision and corporate citizenship for purposes of political activity It is the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to overturn the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (558 U.S. 310), Congress should enact and the States should ratify a constitutional amendment providing that any right of a corporation, other business organization, or other artificial entity to engage in political activity, including the making of contributions and expenditures for the purpose of influencing an election for public office or a ballot measure, is not derived from the First Amendment but from the laws of the United States and the States, and may be exercised only to the extent provided by such laws. II Full Disclosure and Reducing the Influence of Money in Politics 201. Full disclosure and reducing the influence of money in politics It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1) the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (558 U.S. 310) opened the door to the corrupting influence of money in politics; (2) in order to restore the American people’s faith in the integrity of their elected government, Congress should have the power to regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with respect to Federal elections, including through regulating— (A) the amount of contributions to candidates for nomination or election to Federal office; (B) the amount of expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to such candidates; and (C) the content and integrity of such expenditures; and (3) all political contributions should be publicly disclosed, including those made to or by independent groups, so that voters have complete information about who is paying for political advertisements. III Providing for Small Donor and Public Financing of Elections 301. Providing for small donor and public financing of elections It is the sense of the House of Representatives that, in order to eliminate the undue influence of money in politics— (1) Congress should create a small donor and public finance system for congressional elections, which will ensure that Congress is responsible to voters instead of well-financed special interests; and (2) Members of Congress should devote their full time to regular order and governing instead of campaign fundraising. IV Limiting the Campaign Season 401. Limiting the campaign season It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1) Congress should have the power to implement and enforce limits on when money can be spent on campaign activities; (2) registered candidates for congressional elections should not be allowed to expend campaign funds on advertising more than 60 days before a primary or general election; (3) candidates for congressional office, both incumbents and challengers, should not be allowed to solicit or collect campaign contributions during the hours in which Congress is in session; and (4) States should create a single congressional primary date to increase voter education and participation. V Protecting the Right to Vote 501. Protecting the right to vote It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1) Congress has the power to prohibit voter suppression activities; (2) in order to increase voter access and participation, Congress should require every State to create and maintain an online voter registration system; and (3) Congress should make Election Day a legal public holiday. VI Eliminating Partisan Redistricting and Gerrymandering 601. Eliminating partisan redistricting and gerrymandering It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1) Congress should establish a Federal reapportionment system that would create compact and contiguous congressional districts that, to the greatest extent possible, follow geographic boundaries and county lines; (2) congressional districts should not favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party; (3) congressional districts should adhere to the existing standards of equal population; and (4) the highest court of each State should have the power to reject congressional district maps that do not meet the above criteria. VII Requiring Regular Order in House and Senate 701. Requiring regular order in the House and Senate It is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1) it should not be in order to consider a bill or resolution in the House unless each committee to which the bill or resolution is referred— (A) had a hearing on the bill or resolution at which amendments were permitted to be offered and debated and a vote was taken on each amendment offered and on final passage; and (B) filed a report with respect to the bill or resolution; (2) a conference report should not be filed in the House unless— (A) the conference committee held at least 3 meetings in which all members of the conference committee were allowed to be present; (B) all items of difference between the House and Senate were addressed, voted on, and resolved by the full conference committee membership; and (C) printed or electronic copies of the conference report and the accompanying joint explanatory statement were available to Members and Delegates for at least 48 hours prior to filing; (3) the House and Senate should schedule simultaneous 5-day work weeks in Washington and district work periods; and (4) every bill brought to committee should be open to amendment and every bill brought to the floor of the House for a vote should be considered under an open rule.