zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Hatch Act Modernization Act of 2012 - Amends the Hatch Act to: (1) eliminate the prohibition against state and local employees seeking partisan elective office; (2) make employees of the District of Columbia subject to the provisions applicable to state and local employees (currently, District employees are subject to the provisions applicable to federal employees); and (3) revise penalties for violations to allow penalties other than termination of employment.

Date: 2012-03-07
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Weekend Voting Act - Amends the Revised Statutes with respect to the time of election to establish the first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in November, in every even numbered year, as the days for the election, in each state and territory, of Delegates to, or Members of, Congress. Amends federal law with respect to presidential elections and vacancies to establish the first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in November, in every fourth year, as the days for the election of the President and Vice President of the United States. Amends such federal laws to establish the same polling place hours in the United States for both congressional and presidential elections, namely from 10:00 a.m. EST on Saturday till 6:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, with polls allowed to close between the hours of 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. local time on Sunday as provided by the law of the state in which the polling place is located.

Date: 2012-03-08
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Allowing Qualified Local Employees to Serve Act - Amends the Hatch Act to eliminate the prohibition against state and local employees seeking partisan elective office.

Date: 2012-03-08
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Foreign Lobbying Reform Act - Amends the federal criminal code to establish a ten-year ban on lobbying contacts by former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Members of Congress, and specified appointees with any Member, officer, or employee of either chamber, or executive branch officer or employee to represent, aid, or advise a foreign entity. Subjects violators of this Act to fines and imprisonment, or both.

Date: 2012-03-29
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Poll Tape Transparency Act of 2012 - Amends the Help America Vote Act with respect to the requirements for each voting system used in a federal election. Requires the appropriate election official, upon the closing of the polls at each polling place, and under the observation of the certified tabulation observers admitted to the polling place, to: (1) announce the vote orally; (2) post a copy of the poll tape reflecting the totals from each voting machine in the polling place upon which votes were cast; (3) prepare and post a statement of the total number of individuals who appeared at the polling place to cast ballots; and (4) display by noon the following day, at a prominent public location, a copy of each poll tape and statement. Requires display of such information also on the official public websites of the applicable local election official and chief state election official. Specifies similar treatment of ballots cast at early voting sites, absentee ballots, and the daily count of provisional ballots.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2012 - Amends the Revised Statutes and federal criminal law to prohibit any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, from knowingly deceiving any other person regarding: (1) the time, place, or manner of conducting any federal election; or (2) the qualifications for or restrictions on voter eligibility for any such election. Creates a private right of action for any person aggrieved by a violation of such prohibition. Prescribes a criminal penalty for such deceptive acts. Authorizes any person to report to the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice certain acts of deception involving federal elections. Requires the Assistant Attorney General, within 48 hours after receiving such a report, to investigate it and, if an act of deception occurred, to: (1) undertake all effective measures necessary to provide correct information to voters affected by the deception, and (2) refer the matter to the appropriate federal and state authorities for criminal prosecution. Directs the Attorney General to study the feasibility of providing such corrective information through public service announcements, the emergency alert system, or other forms of public broadcast.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2011 [sic] - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to revise requirements for the audit capacity of voting systems, particularly those for a permanent paper record. Requires the voting system to require the use of an individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballot of the voter's vote that shall be marked and made available for inspection by the voter before the voter's vote is cast and counted, and which shall be counted by hand or read by an optical scanner or other counting device. Requires the voting system to provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any system-made error in the voter-verified paper ballot before it is permanently preserved. Requires each paper ballot used to be: (1) suitable for a manual audit, and (2) counted by hand in any recount or audit conducted with respect to any federal election. Sets forth a special rule for treatment of disputes when paper ballots have been shown to be compromised. Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to make grants to eligible entities to study, test, and develop accessible ballot voting, verification, and casting mechanisms and devices and best practices to enhance the accessibility of paper ballot voting and verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Specifies additional voting system requirements and prohibitions. Requires the NSF Director to make grants to eligible entities to conduct research on the development of election-dedicated voting system software. Makes available additional funding to enable states to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Provides for complaints to the Attorney General by persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA. Requires each state to administer audits of federal election results, without advance notice to the precincts selected, consisting of random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots. Makes an exception from this requirement for elections in which the winning candidate had no opponent or received 80% or more of the vote total. Prescribes requirements for determination of the number of ballots counted under the audit. Prescribes the process for administering audits. Requires the Election Auditor of a state, as soon as practicable after the completion of an audit, to submit the results to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for publication. Prohibits certification of the results of any election until completion of audits. Provides for payments to states for the costs of conducting audits. Exempts from this Act any election for which a recount under state law will commence before certification of the election results. Repeals the EAC's exemption from certain federal government contracting requirements.

Date: 2012-05-17
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to permit a valid voter registration and absentee ballot request submitted by an absent U.S. military or civilian overseas voter with respect to an election for a U.S. federal office to be treated as a request for each subsequent election held in that person's normal state of residence through the next regularly scheduled general election. Provides an exception for voters changing their state of registration. Prohibits a state from refusing to accept or process an otherwise valid absentee registration or ballot application from such voters on the grounds that it was submitted before the date on which such state accepts or processes such applications from domestic voters.

Date: 2012-05-18
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions providing for the use of funds from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for presidential nominating conventions.

Date: 2012-06-07
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Obtaining Information Through Leasing on Money and Disclosure Act or OIL Money Disclosure Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue new oil and gas leases on federal lands under the Mineral Leasing Act and submerged lands under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act only to a bidder that has submitted a list containing the date, amount, and recipient during the previous five years of: (1) any payments consisting of a contribution, expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication made by the bidder in connection with any election for federal office; and (2) any disbursement of other funds made by the bidder with the reasonable expectation that the individual or entity will use them to make such a payment. Requires the Secretary to publish each such list within 10 days after its receipt.

Date: 2012-06-27
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Amends the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to reduce the rate of pay otherwise applicable to Members of Congress for any month, during a Congress, by the Member's missed vote percentage for the most recent month before such month if the individual missed votes because of campaigning for election to another office. Applies this requirement to a vote taken in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union unless the Member of the House of Representatives did not engage in any campaign-related activity on the date of the vote. Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer from the general fund of the Treasury to a specified mandatory account to reduce the public debt the difference between the aggregate amount expended for pay of Members of Congress for the fiscal year and the aggregate amount that would have been expended but for the reduction in pay.

Date: 2012-07-12
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Congress
Candidate Accountability Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to limit to $50,000 in a federal election the aggregate contributions any person may make to any candidate and the candidate's authorized committees during the 5-day period ending on the election date. Sunsets all other current federal election contributions limits as of December 31, 2012. Repeals current restrictions and requirements on independent and coordinated election expenditures by political party committees after the party nominates a candidate. Replaces them with a special rule for direct costs of communications. Subjects to specified limitations the direct costs incurred by a political committee of a political party for a communication made in connection with the campaign of a candidate for federal office only if the communication is controlled by, or made at the direction of, the candidate or an authorized committee of the candidate. Requires each political committee to post mandatory contribution information on its public website: (1) within 7 days after receiving the contribution, or (2) within 2 days if the aggregate contributions of the contributor exceed $10,000.

Date: 2012-07-25
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Verifying Official Totals for Elections Act - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a voting system used in a federal election from containing or using any election-dedicated voting system technology which is not deposited by the state (or at the state's option by the vendor of the technology) with the National Software Reference Library of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) before the election. Requires the Director of NIST to: (1) hold the technology in escrow; and (2) disclose it and information about it to a qualified person who has entered into a nondisclosure agreement with respect to it, or to whom the Director is permitted or required to disclose the technology under state law.

Date: 2012-08-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Campaign Sunlight Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to direct the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to establish and operate a website (Campaign Accountability Site) through which members of the public may view the contents of political advertisements. Requires the sponsor of a political advertisement to submit its contents to the FEC in a format the FEC may require. Requires the format to make the sources of such contents available on the website directly or through hyperlinks to the sources. Requires the sponsor to submit an advertisement to the FEC within: (1) 24 hours after its dissemination, if it is disseminated during the 7 days before the election involved; or (2) 72 hours after dissemination during any other period.

Date: 2012-08-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Restoring Confidence in Our Democracy Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to set forth special rules for electioneering communications, especially targeted communications, which national banks, corporations, and labor organizations are prohibited from paying for. Defines "targeted communications" as electioneering communications distributed from a television or radio broadcast station or provider of cable or satellite television service and, in the case of a communication which refers to a candidate for an office other than President or Vice President, is targeted to the relevant electorate. Prohibits independent expenditures by national banks, corporations, and labor organizations. Applies certain limitations on contributions made by any person to a political committee to any contribution to a political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with contribution or source prohibitions (or made to any account of a political committee established to accept such noncompliant donations or contributions).

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Registration Integrity Act - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require a state motor vehicle authority to require each individual applying for a motor vehicle driver's license in the state to: (1) indicate whether the individual resides in another state or resided in another state before applying for the license, and, if so, to identify the state involved; and (2) indicate whether the individual intends for the new state to serve as the individual's residence for federal voter registration purposes. Requires the motor vehicle authority, if an individual indicates an intention for the new state to serve as the individual's residence for federal voter registration purposes, to notify the motor vehicle authority of the former state of residence, which shall notify the chief state election official of that state that the individual no longer intends for it to serve as the individual's residence for federal voter registration purposes.

Date: 2012-09-12
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
America Votes Act of 2012 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to permit an individual required to present identification as a condition for voting in a federal election to meet the requirement by presenting the appropriate state or local election official with an affidavit, signed by the individual under penalty of perjury, attesting to the individual's identification and that he or she is registered to vote in the election. Allows an individual desiring to vote by mail to submit such an affidavit with the ballot. Prohibits a state from requiring an individual who presents or submits such an affidavit to cast a provisional ballot in the election. Excepts first-time voters registering by mail from application of this Act. Requires states requiring an individual to present identification as a condition of receiving and casting a ballot in a federal election to include the use of an affidavit in voting information posted at polling places.

Date: 2012-09-14
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
No Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Act - Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet, publication, electronic communication, radio, television, or video presentation that is designed to support or defeat the enactment of federal, state, or local legislation or the promulgation of proposed or pending regulations, administrative actions, or orders issued by the executive branch of any state or local government. Imposes the same prohibition on the use of appropriated funds for payment of salaries or expenses of federal grant or contract recipients who are attempting to influence legislation and regulatory actions. Extends such prohibitions to any activity to advocate or promote tax increases, restrictions on legal consumer products, or gun control.

Date: 2012-09-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely Voting Act of 2012 or FAST Voting Act of 2012 - Directs the Attorney General to award grants, on a competitive basis, to enable states to: (1) invest in practices and technology designed to expedite voting at the polls, and (2) simplify voter registration. Requires the grant application to include a comprehensive and coherent plan for using funds to improve the applicant's performance on specified measures with respect to: (1) flexible registration opportunities, (2) early voting, (3) assistance to non-English speaking voters, and (4) other related matters. Requires each grantee to establish performance measures and targets, approved by the Attorney General, that track its progress in implementing its plan and expediting voting at the polls or simplifying voter registration, as applicable.

Date: 2012-11-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Fraud Prevention Act of 2012 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to: (1) increase from 5 to 10 years the length of imprisonment for criminal activities involving intimidation or fraud in connection with voter registration and voting, and (2) prohibit an individual involved in such activities from voting in subsequent federal elections. Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require the appropriate state election official, in transmitting balloting materials to absent uniformed services voters, to: (1) ensure that any tray or sack containing such materials is tagged with Tag 191 or some other similar tagging device to provide greater visibility to such containers, and (2) use IMb Tracing or other similar tracking methods to provide real-time tracking information for such materials. Directs the Postmaster General to report to Congress on the efforts undertaken to deter and prevent the loss and theft of balloting materials transmitted to or by absent uniformed services voters in elections for federal office.

Date: 2012-11-16
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Military Ballot Integrity Act of 2012 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require states which do not transmit to an absent uniformed services voter a validly requested absentee ballot for a federal election by the deadline required to delay the certification of the election results by the number of days by which the state missed such deadline with respect to the voter, except in elections subject to a state undue hardship waiver. Allows any person aggrieved by a violation of the Act to bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for necessary declaratory or injunctive relief. (Under current law, only the Attorney General may bring such an action.) Allows for the award of reasonable attorney's fees for the prevailing party. Requires a report from the Attorney General in each year in which a general election for federal office is scheduled on the number of attorneys and other staff within the Department of Justice (DOJ) assigned to enforce the Act, as well as a plan to detect noncompliance by state and local election officials with requirements of the Act. Requires the presidential designee responsible for federal functions under the Act to establish and operate a centralized mail forwarding database through which balloting materials for a member of a reserve component called or ordered to active duty are forwarded to the member's correct mailing address after the member is released from active duty.

Date: 2012-11-16
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voting Line Reduction and Online Registration Act - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) to require each state to make available official public websites for online voter registration. Authorizes automated voter registration of certain individuals and establishes other initiatives to promote voter registration, such as same day registration and voter registration of individuals under 18 years of age. Sets forth requirements for maintenance, privacy, and security of voter registration lists, including establishing deadlines for transmittal of change of address or other identifying information. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to direct each state to provide, according to standards issued by the Election Assistance Commission, for the minimum required number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including all other physical resources) for each voting site on the day of any federal election and on any days during which such state allows early voting for a federal election. Require each state to submit a written plan to the Commission describing the measures it is implementing to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, an equitable waiting time for all voters in the state, and a waiting time of less than one hour at any polling place in the election. Requires each jurisdiction for which the Commission determines that a substantial number of voters waited more than 90 minutes to cast a vote in a federal election, or in which there were substantial violations of certain established standards, to comply with a state remedial plan established by the Commission to provide for the effective allocation of resources to administer elections in the state and to reduce voter waiting times. Requires provision of an emergency paper ballot to any requesting voter in the event of a failure of voting equipment or other circumstances at a polling place that causes an unreasonable delay. Requires each state to allow individuals to vote during the seven day period (or, at state option, a longer period) before a federal election in the same manner as voting is allowed on election day. Establishes minimum early voting requirements. Directs the Commission to issue standards for the administration of early voting.

Date: 2012-12-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the taxpayer election to designate $3 of income tax liability for financing of presidential election campaigns, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account.

Date: 2011-01-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require all election-related designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under the Act to be filed directly with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Date: 2011-01-27
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Public Officials Accountability Act - Amends the federal criminal code to include as a fraud offense a scheme or artifice by a public official to engage in undisclosed self-dealing. Defines "undisclosed self-dealing" to mean: (1) performing an official act to benefit or further a financial interest of such public official, a spouse or minor child, a general business partner, a business or organization in which the public official is serving as an employee, officer, director, trustee, or general partner, or an individual, business, or organization with whom the public official is negotiating for, or has any arrangement concerning, prospective employment or financial compensation; and (2) knowingly falsifying, concealing, covering up, or failing to disclose material information regarding a financial interest as required by law.

Date: 2011-05-12
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Robocall Privacy Act of 2011 - Makes it unlawful for a person during specified periods before a federal primary or general election to make certain prerecorded political telephone calls with respect to a candidate for federal office without disclosing immediately the recorded nature of the calls, the identity of the caller, and the caller's telephone number on the recipient's caller identification service.

Date: 2011-07-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require each authorized election campaign committee of a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to report any contribution of $1,000 or more received by it or by the member between the member's appointment to the Joint Select Committee and January 31, 2012.

Date: 2011-08-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Congress
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2011 - Amends the Revised Statutes and federal criminal law to prohibit any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, from knowingly misleading voters regarding: (1) the time or place of holding any federal election, (2) the qualifications for or restrictions on voter eligibility for any such election, or (3) an endorsement. Prohibits hindering, interfering with, or preventing another person from voting, registering to vote, or aiding another person to vote or register to vote in a federal election. Creates a private right of action for any person aggrieved by a violation of such prohibition. Amends the federal criminal code to prescribe criminal penalties for such deceptive acts. Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and, if appropriate, amend the federal sentencing guidelines and policy statements applicable to persons convicted of any offense under this Act. Authorizes any person to report to the Attorney General false election information. Requires the Attorney General, if receiving a credible report that materially false information has been or is being communicated, to communicate to the public accurate information designed to correct the materially false information if the Attorney General determines that state and local election officials have not taken adequate steps to promptly communicate accurate information to correct the materially false information.

Date: 2011-12-14
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2012 or DISCLOSE Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to redefine the term "independent expenditure" as an expenditure by a person that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, taking into account whether the communication involved mentions a candidacy, a political party, or a challenger to a candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office. Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications. Prescribes disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities, including a political committee with an account established for the purpose of accepting donations or contributions that do not comply with the contribution limits or source prohibitions under FECA (but only with respect to such accounts). Prescribes disclaimer requirements for public communications that include functional equivalent of express advocacy. Requires any communication transmitted through radio or television to include an individual or organizational disclosure statement, together with: (1) the Top Two Funders List of the persons providing the largest and second largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a radio communication, and (2) the Top Five Funders List of the five persons providing the largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a television communication. Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger.

Date: 2012-03-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Small Business Election Simplification Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the subchapter S election for corporate taxpayers, to: (1) extend the deadline for filing such election to the due date (with extensions) of the corporation's tax return, (2) authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to treat a late filing or revocation of an election as timely filed or revoked if there is reasonable cause for failing to make a timely filing or revocation, and (3) allow taxpayers to make a subchapter S election on their current tax return in lieu of filing a separate form for making such election.

Date: 2012-03-29
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions providing for the use of funds from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for presidential nominating conventions. Requires that any amount which is returned by the national committee of a major or minor party to the Treasury from an account established under the Fund to make payments for conventions to be used solely for deficit reduction.

Date: 2012-06-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Presidential Funding Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to revise the system of public financing for presidential primary and general elections. Increases the amount of matching funds for presidential primaries from a 1:1 match to a 4:1 match for contributions of $200 or less from individuals. Limits the total amount of payments to primary candidates to $100 million. Requires presidential primary candidates who opt to participate in the public financing system to certify to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that they have raised $25,000 (currently, $5,000) in each of 20 states, with individual contributions limited to $200. Requires such candidates to commit to accept public financing in both the primary and general elections. Limits contributions to presidential primary candidates who participate in the public financing system to $1,000 from individual contributors (currently, $2,400). Eliminates expenditure limitations for presidential primary and general elections. Changes the period for payment of matching funds to presidential primary candidates from January 1 of the election year to six months prior to the date of the earliest state primary election. Revises general election payment provisions to allow a grant of $50 million to candidates and an additional $150 million in matching funds based upon a 4:1 match of contributions raised after June 1 of the general election year from individual donors giving up to $200 each. Increases to $50 million the limit on coordinated spending by a national party and its presidential candidate. Eliminates public financing for national party conventions. Allows individual contributions up to $25,000 in each four-year presidential election cycle to pay for national party convention costs. Prohibits the use of unregulated funds (soft money) to pay for national party convention costs. Increases from $3 to $10 ($6 to $20 for joint returns) the tax check-off for contributions to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to ensure that approved tax preparation software does not automatically accept or decline a check-off of contributions for the public financing system. Directs the FEC to issue regulations on best efforts for identifying persons making contributions to political committees. Revises reporting requirements for the disclosure of bundled contributions by lobbyists and to presidential campaigns.

Date: 2012-06-19
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2012 or DISCLOSE Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to redefine the term "independent expenditure" as an expenditure by a person that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, taking into account whether the communication involved mentions a candidacy, a political party, or a challenger to a candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office. Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications. Prescribes disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities, including a political committee with an account established for the purpose of accepting donations or contributions that do not comply with the contribution limits or source prohibitions under FECA (but only with respect to such accounts). Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger.

Date: 2012-07-10
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Reduction in Federal Advertising Budgets Act of 2012 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue a directive limiting agency expenditures for advertising in FY2013 to not more than 50% of the amount of such expenditures during FY2012.

Date: 2012-09-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Louis L. Redding Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely Voting Act of 2012 or FAST Voting Act of 2012 - Directs the Attorney General to award grants, on a competitive basis, to enable states to: (1) invest in practices and technology designed to expedite voting at the polls, and (2) simplify voter registration. Requires the grant application to include a comprehensive and coherent plan for using funds to improve the applicant's performance on specified measures with respect to: (1) flexible registration opportunities, (2) early voting, (3) assistance to non-English speaking voters, and (4) other related matters. Requires each grantee to establish performance measures and targets, approved by the Attorney General, that track its progress in implementing its plan and expediting voting at the polls or simplifying voter registration, as applicable.

Date: 2012-11-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Lines Interfere with National Elections Act of 2012 or LINE Act of 2012 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each state to provide for the minimum required number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including all other physical resources) for each voting site on the day of any federal election and on any days during which the state allows early voting for a federal election in accordance with standards established under this Act. Directs the Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Election Assistance Commission, to issue standards for a uniform and non-discriminatory distribution of such systems, workers, and other resources, taking into account with respect to any voting site, among other factors, the voting age population, the needs and numbers of disabled voters, and voters with limited English proficiency. Requires the standards, to the extent possible, to provide for a distribution of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources with the goal of: (1) ensuring an equal waiting time for all voters in the state, and (2) preventing a waiting time of over one hour at any polling place. Requires each jurisdiction where a substantial number of voters waited more than 90 minutes to cast a vote in the federal election held on November 6, 2012, or any federal election held after that date, to comply with a state remedial plan to minimize voter waiting times.

Date: 2012-12-05
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fair Elections Revenue Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose an excise tax on payments made pursuant to a U.S. government contract to any person that is not a state or local government, a foreign nation, or a tax-exempt organization and that has contracts with the U.S. government in excess of $10 million. Sets the rate of such tax imposed on any payment to a qualified person under any such contract at 0.50% of the amount paid and limits the aggregate annual amount of tax so imposed for any calendar year to not more than $500,000. Expresses the sense of the Senate that the tax revenues raised by this Act should be used for the financing of a Fair Elections Fund and the public financing of Senate elections.

Date: 4/6/2011
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to: (1) eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements and benefits of fair elections financing of Senate election campaigns, (2) establishment of a Fair Elections Fund, (3) eligibility for Fund allocations, (4) contribution and expenditure requirements, (5) a public debate requirement, (6) certification of whether or not a federal election candidate is a participating candidate, (7) benefits for participating candidates, (8) 500% matching payments to candidates for certain small dollar contributions, (9) political advertising vouchers, (10) establishment of a Fair Elections Oversight Board, (11) civil penalties for violation of contribution and expenditure requirements, (12) prohibition of joint fundraising committees with any political committee other than a candidate's authorized committee, and (13) an exception to a specified limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates for any expenditure from a qualified political party-participating candidate coordinated expenditure fund. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) prohibit the preemption of the use of a broadcasting station by a legally qualified Senate candidate who has purchased and paid for such use, (2) revise Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to revoke licenses for broadcasting stations who fail to provide access to Senate candidates, and (3) revise the formula for determining reduced broadcast rates for participating candidates in certain circumstances. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a standardized form to be used by broadcasting stations to record and report the purchase of advertising time by or on behalf of a candidate for nomination for election, or for election, to federal elective office. Amends FECA to: (1) empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to appeal a civil action; (2) require all designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under FECA to be filed directly with the FEC, and in computer-accessible electronic form; and (3) reduce from 48 to 24 hours after their receipt the deadline for the FEC to make designations, statements, reports, or notifications available to the public in the FEC office and on the Internet.

Date: 4/6/2011
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions providing for the use of funds from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for presidential nominating conventions.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate: (1) the taxpayer election to designate $3 of income tax liability to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2011, (2) the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, and (3) the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account.

Directs that any amounts remaining in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund after its termination be transferred to the general fund of the Treasury to be used only for reducing the deficit.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Disclosure of Information on Spending on Campaigns Leads to Open and Secure Elections Act of 2013 or DISCLOSE 2013 Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to redefine the term "independent expenditure" as an expenditure by a person that, when taken as a whole, expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, or is the functional equivalent of express advocacy because it can be interpreted by a reasonable person only as advocating the election or defeat of a candidate, taking into account whether the communication involved mentions a candidacy, a political party, or a challenger to a candidate, or takes a position on a candidates, qualifications, or fitness for office.

Expands the period during which certain communications are treated as electioneering communications.

Prescribes: (1) disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities; and (2) disclaimer requirements for campaign-related disbursements and for certain communications.

Requires any communication transmitted through radio or television to include an individual or organizational disclosure statement, together with: (1) the Top Two Funders List of the persons providing the largest and second largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a radio communication, and (2) the Top Five Funders List of the five persons providing the largest aggregate payments of $10,000 or more for a television communication.

Repeals the prohibition against political contributions by individuals age 17 or younger.

Requires a covered organization which submits regular, periodic reports to its shareholders, members, or donors on its finances or activities to include in each report, in a clear and conspicuous manner, the information included in the statements it has filed about campaign-related disbursements the organization has made during the period covered by the report.

Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to require semiannual reports on certain election campaign contributions filed with the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Representatives by registered lobbyists (or persons or organizations required to register as lobbyists) to contain: (1) the amount of any independent expenditure of $1,000 or more made by each such person or organization, along with the name of each candidate being supported or opposed and the amount spent supporting or opposing that candidate; and (2) the amount of any electioneering communication of $1,000 or more made by such person or organization, along with the name of the candidate referred to in the communication and whether the communication involved was in support of or in opposition to the candidate.

Date: 2013-01-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to permit candidates for election to federal office to: (1) designate an individual for each of a candidate's authorized campaign committees who will be authorized to disburse funds of the committee in the event of the candidate's death, and (2) designate another individual to carry out the responsibilities of the designated individual in the event of the death or incapacity of the designated individual or the designated individual's unwillingness to carry out the responsibilities.

Prescribes procedures for filing and revoking such a designation. Permits the filing of a designation to contain the candidate's instructions regarding the disbursement of funds.

Date: 2013-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Ethics in Foreign Lobbying Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit contributions and expenditures in federal elections by multicandidate political committees or separate segregated funds sponsored by foreign-controlled corporations and associations (at least 50% owned by a non-U.S. citizen or foreign national). Sets forth ownership and operating fund reporting requirements.

Prohibits a foreign national from participating in the decision-making process of any person's election-related activities (such as those of a corporation, labor organization, or political committee). Establishes within the Federal Election Commission (FEC) a clearinghouse of existing public information regarding the political activities of foreign principals and agents of foreign principals. Amends the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 to: (1) revise foreign agents' supplemental reporting requirements, and (2) provide civil penalties for specified reporting violations.

Date: 2013-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics