White House is Not a Political Prop Act

Bill: 116-hr-8655
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1]
Introduced: 2020-10-23
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Federal officials

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Members of Congress

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-23
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-23
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>White House is Not a Political Prop Act</b></p> <p>This bill makes it unlawful for a federal officer or employee to hold a political campaign event or otherwise solicit or accept contributions on or in federal property, or use federal property at such an event for the purposes of soliciting or accepting contributions.</p> <p>A violator is subject to criminal penalties&#8212;a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8655 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 23, 2020 Mr. Cicilline introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit any individual from holding certain political campaign or fundraising events on Federal property, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the White House is Not a Political Prop Act . 2. Prohibition on political campaign or fundraising events on Federal property Section 607 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) by adding at the end the following: (c) Prohibition (1) In general It shall be unlawful for any officer or employee of the Federal Government, including the President, Vice President, and any Member of Congress— (A) to hold any political campaign event, or otherwise solicit or accept any contribution as defined in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, on or in any Federal property; or (B) to use any Federal property at such an event or for the purposes of soliciting or accepting any such contribution. (2) Penalty A person who violates this subsection shall be fined up to $50,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. (3) Definitions In this subsection— (A) the term Federal property means any building, land, vehicle (including aircraft), or other real property owned, leased, or occupied by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States (including the White House (except for the Executive Residence), the Department of Defense, the United States Postal Service, or the National Park Service), or any other instrumentality wholly owned by the United States; and (B) the term political campaign event means an occasion or gathering of individuals, in person or virtually, the purpose of which, in any material part, is to promote, or solicit or accept funds or contributions for the campaign of, a candidate for election for the office of President, Vice President, or any other Federal office (as such terms are defined in section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971). (4) Rule of construction The prohibition in paragraph (1) shall not apply to the use of any vehicle owned or leased by the Federal Government for travel to any event so long as such use is not treated as an in-kind contribution under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. ; and (2) in subsection (b), by striking The prohibition in subsection (a) and inserting Exception .—The prohibitions in subsections (a) and (c) .