zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Restoring Trust in Public Officials Act of 2007 - Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to prohibit: (1) covered governmental officials from accepting travel paid for by a prohibited source; and (2) an agency from accepting a payment for travel that a covered official may not accept. Defines "prohibited source" to mean: (1) any person who is seeking official action by the covered official's agency, does business or seeks to do business with the covered official's agency, conducts activities regulated by the covered official's agency, or has interests that may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the covered official's official duties; or (2) is an organization a majority of whose members are prohibited sources.

Date: 2007-11-08
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Provisional Ballot Fairness in Counting Act of 2007 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to revise requirements for the treatment of provisional ballots in federal elections. Prohibits any election recount until all provisional votes have been counted. Requires the chief state election official, in determining whether to count a provisional vote, to review not only official registered voter lists but also any information an individual voter submitted during the registration process. Requires a provisional ballot in a federal election to be treated as a voter registration application if it is rejected on the ground that the individual is not registered to vote in the election.

Date: 2007-11-09
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Overseas Voting Practical Amendments Act of 2007 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to rename the official post card form containing both an absentee voter registration application and an absentee ballot application the Federal Voter Registration and Ballot Application. Prohibits states from refusing to accept balloting materials on any of specified grounds, including that the materials are not printed on a post card, do not include certain information, are not notarized or witnessed by an authorized official, are not delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, or do not meet certain other nonessential requirements. Amends federal postal law with respect to postage markings on certain balloting materials mailed by the states. Amends UOCAVA to: (1) permit voters to request absentee ballots in all subsequent elections; (2) repeal the requirement to provide absentee ballots in subsequent elections to individuals with unknown addresses; (3) apply UOCAVA to individuals who have never resided in the United States (whose parents are overseas voters); (4) require prompt notification of rejection of a voter registration or absentee ballot request; and (5) provide for use of a U.S. State Department diplomatic pouch for returning completed absentee ballots.

Date: 2007-11-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Establishing The House Independent Commission on Standards Act - Establishes within the legislative branch The House Independent Commission on Standards. Amends Rule XI (Procedures of Committees and Unfinished Business) of the Rules of the House of Representatives to transfer to the Commission certain recommendations for administrative action and investigative duties of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct regarding Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, and House officers and employees.

Date: 2007-11-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Congress
Provides that the prohibition against a state or local officer or employee being a candidate for elective office shall not apply to any local government office of an area with a population of less than 100,000.

Date: 2007-12-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Presidential Funding Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to public financing of presidential election campaigns to: (1) quadruple (1:1 to 4:1) the matching rate for contributions to primary election candidates; (2) lower from $250 to $200 the limit on individual campaign contributions; (3) increase the presidential primary qualifying threshold from $5,000 to $25,000 in 20 states; (4) require presidential candidates to participate in the primary payment system to be eligible for general election payments; (5) move the starting date for payments to primary candidates from January 1 of a presidential election year to six months before the earliest state primary election; (6) allow additional payments and increased expenditure limits for candidates who face opponents who do not participate in public financing and who raise more than 20% of applicable spending limits; (7) designate the last Friday before the first Monday in September as the date for payments to eligible presidential candidates; and (8) increase from $3 to $10 the presidential campaign tax return check-off amount.Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to: (1) increase expenditure limits for presidential primary campaigns and eliminate state primary spending limits; (2) limit political party general election campaign expenditures to $25 million, with an additional $25 million allowance after the party's candidate is nominated; (3) prohibit political parties from spending unregulated funds (soft money) on their national conventions; and (4) require presidential campaign committees to disclose information about bundled campaign contributions (series of contributions exceeding specified threshold amounts).

Date: 2007-12-05
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of: (1) converting from electronic or other voting systems to paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008; (2) retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems to produce voter verifiable paper records; and (3) providing backup paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Commission to reimburse any state for the documented reasonable costs it incurs in conducting manual audits of the results of any of the regularly scheduled general elections for federal office in November 2008 (including, at state option, manual audits of state and local elections). Requires the state to: (1) reimburse immediately counties and other jurisdictions for the costs incurred as a result of a state audit; and (2) submit to the Commission a report on audit results in order to receive a payment under this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Provides for payments for state, county, or equivalent locations conducting hand counts of the results of 2008 general elections. Authorizes appropriations. Provides that if a state, county, or equivalent location uses a direct recording electronic voting system to conduct an election, the state, county, or equivalent location may not receive a payment for conducting a hand count of the votes cast in the election unless it certifies to the Commission that its system produces a paper record printout of the marked ballot verifiable by the voter at the time the vote is cast. Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to study, test, and develop products and practices that ensure the accessibility of paper ballot verification and casting for individuals with disabilities, for voters whose primary language is not English, and for voters with difficulties in literacy. Authorizes appropriations.

Date: 2008-01-17
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Caging Prohibition Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any election for federal office, or from permitting a formal challenge under state law to an individual's registration status or eligibility to vote, if the basis for such decision is evidence consisting of: (1) a voter caging document or voter caging list; (2) an unverified match list; (3) an error or omission on voter application or registration documents that is not material to an individual's eligibility to vote; or (4) any other evidence so designated by the Election Assistance Commission. Defines "voter caging document" as: (1) a nonforwardable document that is returned to the sender or a third party as undelivered or undeliverable despite an attempt to deliver it to the address of a registered voter or applicant; or (2) any document with instructions to an addressee that the document be returned to a sender or third party but is not so returned, despite an attempt to deliver it to the address of a registered voter, unless at least two federal election cycles have passed since the date of the attempted delivery.Defines "unverified match list" as a list produced by matching the information of registered voters or applicants to a list of individuals ineligible to vote in the registrar's jurisdiction due to death, conviction, change of address, or otherwise, unless one of the pieces of information matched includes a signature, photograph, or unique identifying number ensuring that the information from each source refers to the same individual. Requires any private individual who challenges the right of another citizen to vote to set forth in writing, under penalty of perjury, personal, first-hand knowledge establishing the grounds for ineligibility.

Date: 2008-01-17
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Political Intelligence Disclosure Act - Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to require the disclosure of political intelligence activities. Requires political intelligence consultants to register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and make quarterly reports on political intelligence activities. Requires any person or entity that makes an oral political intelligence contact with a covered legislative branch or executive branch official on the official's request to: (1) state whether such person or entity is registered under this Act; (2) identify the client on behalf of whom the contact is made; and (3) state whether such client is a foreign entity, and make any related disclosures. Requires any person making a written political intelligence contact with a covered legislative branch or executive branch official to make similar disclosures, especially about clients considered foreign entities.

Date: 2008-03-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Make Provisional Ballots Count Act of 2008 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) permit same-day voter re-registration at polling places on the date of election for individuals permitted to cast provisional ballots; and (2) require counting of provisional ballots cast by individuals determined to be registered to vote in the state or the congressional district, as appropriate.

Date: 2008-03-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Noncitizen Voting Prevention Act of 2008 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require applications for voter registration with respect to federal office to include a statement regarding the deportability of aliens making false claims of U.S. citizenship. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require posting at polling places of notices that it is a violation of federal law for an individual who is not a U.S. citizen to cast a ballot in an election for federal office.

Date: 2008-04-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Blogger Protection Act of 2008 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to: (1) exempt uncompensated individual Internet activity from treatment as a contribution to or expenditure of a campaign for federal office; and (2) cover blogs and other Internet and electronic publications under the general media exemption pertaining to expenditures.

Date: 2008-04-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Robocall Privacy Act of 2008 - 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 immediate disclosure of the recorded nature of the calls, the name of the sponsor or originator of the call, and the appearance of the caller's telephone number on the recipient's caller identification service.

Date: 2008-04-09
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prohibits the use of federal funds for a project or program named for an individual currently serving as a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, or Senator of the U.S. Congress.

Date: 2008-04-10
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Congress
Directs the Election Assistance Commission to make a grant to each participating state and unit of local government for carrying out a program to make backup paper ballots available in the case of the failure of a voting system or voting equipment or some other emergency situation in the administration of the regularly scheduled federal general election held in November 2008.

Date: 2008-04-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Election Day Registration Act - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each state with voter registration requirements relating to federal elections to permit any eligible individual on the day of a federal election to register to vote, and cast a vote, in such election.

Date: 2008-05-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to: (1) permit local jurisdictions within a state to conduct early voting in elections for federal office held in such jurisdictions; (2) require acceptance of absentee ballots without sufficient postage; (3) require ballots cast at incorrect polling places by eligible voters to be counted; and (4) provide notification of individuals whose names do not appear on the official list of eligible voters for the polling place to cast ballots at the correct polling place.

Date: 2008-05-15
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends provisions of federal law relating to patriotic and national organizations to remove language restricting the Gold Star Wives of America from attempting to influence legislation.

Date: 2008-05-21
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Law
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. Declares the sense of Congress that state and local election officials and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) should work together to develop plans to ensure an effective transition to weekend voting in federal elections.

Date: 2008-06-11
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to extend through calendar 2013 the authority of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to impose civil monetary penalties.

Date: 2008-06-18
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal Employees Deserve to Volunteer on the Elections Act of 2008 or the FEDVOTE Act of 2008 - Entitles executive agency employees to leave, without loss of or reduction in pay, leave to which otherwise entitled, credit for time or service, or performance or efficiency rating, not exceeding six days in a leave year, in order to: (1) provide election administration assistance to a state or unit of local government at a polling place on the date of any election for public office; or (2) receive training without which the employee would be ineligible to provide such assistance.Directs the Election Assistance Commission to make grants to eligible states for recruiting and training individuals to serve as poll workers on dates of elections for public office.Requires grant recipients to use the manual prepared by the Commission on successful practices for poll worker recruiting, training, and retention as an interactive training tool and develop training programs with the participation and input of experts in adult learning.Provides a formula for grant amounts based upon a state's voting age population percentage.Requires reports to the Commission and to Congress on activities conducted with funds provided under this Act.Authorizes appropriations.Exempts the Commission from application of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Date: 2008-06-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Veteran Voting Support Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit a state to designate facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) located in the state as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 solely for the purposes of providing voter registration services to individuals receiving (or applying to receive) services or assistance from the facility. Requires any VA facility designated as a voter registration agency, with respect to such individuals, to: (1) provide information relating to the opportunity to request an absentee ballot; (2) make available absentee ballot applications and, upon request, assistance in completing such applications and absentee ballots; and (3) work with local election officials to ensure the proper delivery of such applications and ballots. Declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to waive any requirement under state or local law regarding an individual's eligibility to receive an absentee ballot or vote by absentee ballot in any election. Directs the Secretary to permit a meaningful opportunity for nonpartisan organizations to provide voter registration information and assistance at VA facilities. Prohibits the Secretary from banning any election administration official, whether state or local, party-affiliated or non-party affiliated, or elected or appointed, from providing nonpartisan voting information to veterans at any VA facility. Directs the Secretary to provide reasonable access to VA facilities to state and local election officials for the purpose of providing nonpartisan voter registration services to individuals.

Date: 2008-07-29
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Emergency Election Audit Act of 2008 - Requires the Election Assistance Commission to reimburse states for the reasonable costs incurred in conducting manual audits, meeting specified requirements, of the results of the general elections for federal office to be held in November 2008. Requires such payments also if, at the state's option, the state conducts audits of elections for state and local office held at the same time as the general election.

Date: 2008-08-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to: (1) eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements, seed money limits, and benefits of fair elections financing of campaigns for election to the U.S. House of Representatives; (2) establishment of a House Fair Elections Fund; (3) eligibility for Fund allocations as well as such allocations; (4) a seed money contribution requirement; (5) contribution and expenditure requirements; (6) certification of whether or not a federal election candidate is a participating candidate; (7) benefits for participating candidates; (8) payment of fair fight funds; (9) administration of the House Fair Elections System; (10) reporting requirements for nonparticipating candidates; (11) modification of electioneering communication reporting requirements; and (12) the limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 with respect to the deposit of proceeds from recovered spectrum auctions. Establishes the Fair Elections Review Commission. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) entitle participating candidates to receive specified reduced broadcast rates in certain circumstances; and (2) provide for political advertisement vouchers for them. Directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to charge non-public broadcast stations a spectrum use fee, which shall be deposited into the House Fair Elections Fund. Amends federal postal law to prohibit franked mass mailings by Members of Congress (except notices of public meetings) during the 90 days before primary and general election periods, unless they are not candidates for re-election. Amends FECA to: (1) empower the FEC to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a proceeding on certiorari; (2) revise requirements for filing with the FEC by House candidates; and (3) reduce from 48 to 24 hours the deadline for electronic filing with the FEC of reports by each political committee of contributions received within 90 days before an election.

Date: 2008-09-23
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Citizen's Accessibility Election Act - Amends the Revised Statutes with respect to the time of a federal 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. Establishes the polling place hours in the continental United States for federal elections as the six-hour period beginning with noon Eastern time.

Date: 2008-09-24
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a state or local election official from accepting a challenge to an individual's eligibility to register to vote in an election for federal office in a jurisdition or to vote in an election for federal office in a jurisdiction if the challenge is not based on good cause. Declares that a challenge is not based on good cause if it is based on residence in property subject to foreclosure proceedings or in an area damaged by hurricane or other major disaster.

Date: 2008-09-26
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Protection Against Wrongful Voter Purges Act - Amends the National Voter Registration Act to establish notice and review requirements for removal of individuals from a list of eligible voters by reason other than death or a change of residence. Requires the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to adopt voluntary guidance with respect to audits of the statewide computerized voter registration list so that each state will be able to ensure that the list: (1) reflects an accurate and complete count of all individuals validly registered to vote in federal elections; and (2) is secure against unauthorized uses. Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a state from refusing to register any applicant who has completed the national voter registration application form. Requires the appropriate state or local election official to ensure that, at each polling place for a federal election and on a public website of the election official of each registrar's jurisdiction, a list is available which shows: (1) all individuals registered to vote in that election at all polling places located in the registrar's jurisdiction; and (2) for each such individual, the polling place at which the individual is registered. Permits an individual to request exclusion from the list. Prohibits such list from containing an individual's address. Provides that this Act shall not apply to a state in which there is no voter registration requirement for individuals in the state with respect to federal elections.

Date: 2008-10-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Election Software Disclosure Act of 2008 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a voting system used in a state in a federal election from containing or using any election-dedicated voting system technology: (1) which has not been certified by the state for such use; and (2) which has not been deposited with the appropriate state and local election officials to be held in escrow and disclosed in accordance with this Act. Requires a state or local election official with whom an election-dedicated voting system technology has been deposited to: (1) hold it in escrow; and (2) disclose information regarding it to a qualified person who has entered into a nondisclosure agreement meeting certain requirements with respect to the technology, or if state law requires such disclosure.

Date: 2008-10-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Poll Tape Transparency Act of 2008 - 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: 2008-10-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Vote Tabulation Audit Act of 2008 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require states to meet specified standards for transparent and accurate tabulation of votes and aggregation of vote counts in federal elections, including standards for: (1) the treatment of ballots cast at early voting sites as well as absentee ballots and provisional ballots; and (2) mandatory hand recount in case of unresolved discrepancy. Requires the Election Assistance Commission to: (1) reimburse states to cover the costs of carrying out tabulations at certain polling places of votes cast on paper optical scan ballots; and (2) adopt a model format for the posting of the tabulation of votes and aggregate vote counts.

Date: 2008-10-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Military and Overseas Voting Enhancement Act - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require states to accept and process absentee ballots of overseas uniformed services and civilian voters submitted by the voter to a provider of express mail no later than the day before election day for transmission to the appropriate state election official, as long as the ballot is received within 10 days after the election. Requires the Presidential designee to reimburse overseas uniformed services voters for the costs of using a provider of express mail services to transmit the ballot to the official.

Date: 2008-10-02
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Prohibits the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and their affiliates from making: (1) lobbying expenditures; (2) political contributions; or (3) contributions to any nonprofit tax-exempt organization.Declares that violating this Act shall constitute violation of federal law limiting the use of appropriated funds to influence certain federal contracting and financial transactions (thus, imposing the same penalties).

Date: 2008-10-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fixing the Federal Voting Assistance Program Act of 2008 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require the presidential designee responsible for carrying out federal functions under the Act to have experience in election administration and be approved by the Senate. Establishes the Overseas Voting Advisory Board to conduct studies and issue reports with respect to various issues, including the ability of U.S. citizens who reside outside of the United States to register to vote and vote in elections for public office.

Date: 2008-10-03
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Critical Election Infrastructure Act of 2008 - Directs the Election Assistance Commission to make grants to eligible states to carry out election administration improvement plans to promote efficiency and fairness in the operation of polling places in federal elections (including early voting sites), which may include: (1) acquisition of additional voting systems and equipment; (2) improved training of election administration officials; and (3) allocation of additional election administration officials to polling places serving greater numbers of voters.

Date: 2008-11-19
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) to increase from $50,000 to $200,00 the civil fine for noncompliance with LDA disclosure requirements.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit any authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee established, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or person who holds a federal office from employing the spouse or any immediate family member of such candidate or federal office holder.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to one year for an intentional failure to file or report certain financial information.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Amends the federal criminal code to subject to criminal penalties the spouse of a Member of Congress who knowingly lobbies on behalf of a client for compensation any Member of Congress, or is associated with any such lobbying activity by the spouse's employer, if that spouse was not serving as a registered lobbyist at least one year before the spouse Member's election.

Date: 2007-01-04
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Presidential Funding Act of 2007 - Amends Internal Revenue Code provisions relating to public financing of presidential election campaigns to: (1) quadruple (1:1 to 4:1) the matching rate for contributions to primary election candidates; (2) lower from $250 to $200 the limit on individual campaign contributions; (3) increase the presidential primary qualifying threshold from $5,000 to $25,000 in 20 states; (4) require presidential candidates to participate in the primary payment system to be eligible for general election payments; (5) move the starting date for payments to primary candidates from January 1 of a presidential election year to six months before the earliest state primary election; (6) allow additional payments and increased expenditure limits for candidates who face opponents who do not participate in public financing and who raise more than 20% of applicable spending limits; (7) designate the last Friday before the first Monday in September as the date for payments to eligible presidential candidates; and (8) increase from $3 to $10 the presidential campaign tax return check-off amount.Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to: (1) increase expenditure limits for presidential primary campaigns and eliminate state primary spending limits; (2) limit political party general election campaign expenditures to $25 million, with an additional $25 million allowance after the party's candidate is nominated; (3) prohibit political parties from spending unregulated funds (soft money) on their national conventions; and (4) require presidential campaign committees to disclose information about bundled contributions (series of contributions aggregating more than $10,000).Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to reduce funding for the market access program by $100 million in FY2007.

Date: 2007-01-30
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 - (Sec. 3) 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. Makes intent to prevent another person from exercising the right to vote, or from voting for the candidate of such other person's choice, an essential element of the offense. Prescribes a criminal penalty 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.(Sec. 4) Authorizes any person to report to the Attorney General false election information. Requires the Attorney General, if a report provides a reasonable basis to find that an election violation has occurred, to pursue any appropriate criminal prosecution or civil action and refer the matter to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution or civil action, but only if such matter is otherwise under the Division's jurisdiction.Prohibits the commencement of any investigation or legal action relating to a report until after the election concerned has been completed, unless the Attorney General: (1) reasonably believes it is necessary to pursue such investigation or legal proceedings promptly; and (2) reasonably determines that such investigation or legal proceeding will not inhibit any person from exercising right to vote. (Sec. 5) Requires the Attorney General, immediately after receiving such a report, to consider and review it and, if there is a reasonable basis to find that false information has been communicated, to undertake all effective measures necessary to provide correct information to voters affected by the false information.Authorizes any person who has made such a report about which the Attorney General fails to take corrective action to apply to a U.S. district court for an order requiring the Attorney General to take such action.Requires the Attorney General to report to Congress on the procedures and standards intended to be used to provide corrective action. 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.Authorizes appropriations.(Sec. 6) Directs the Attorney General to report to Congress on any allegations of false information submitted which relate to any federal general election or to any preceding primary or ensuing run-off election.

Date: 2007-01-31
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
527 Reform Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to subject to its requirements as a political committee any applicable 527 organization.Excludes from the meaning of 527 organization for these purposes any committee, club, association, or other group of persons organized to influence: (1) the selection, nomination, election, appointment, or confirmation of one or more candidates to non-federal or non-elected office; or (2) any state or local ballot measure.Denies exception from treatment as an applicable 527 organization to any such a committee, club, association, or other groups of persons which makes disbursements aggregating more than $1,000 for: (1) a public communication that promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes a clearly identified candidate for federal office during the one year period ending on the date of the general election for the office sought by the clearly identified candidate; or (2) certain voter drive activity. Sets forth rules for allocation and funding by a political committee for certain expenses relating to federal and nonfederal activities.

Date: 2007-01-31
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Federal Election Administration Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to replace the Federal Election Commission with the Federal Election Administration (FEA) as an independent establishment to enforce federal campaign finance laws.Requires enforcement proceedings for violations of campaign finance laws to be conducted before administrative law judges. Allows any final determination made by an administrative law judge to be appealed to the FEA for final agency action, subject to judicial review. Authorizes the FEA to impose civil penalties, issue cease-and-desist orders, and report apparent criminal violations to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Allows the FEA to conduct audits and field examinations of campaign committees. Prescribes criminal penalties for violations. Directs the Comptroller General to examine and report to Congress on the Attorney General's enforcement of the criminal provisions of federal campaign finance laws.

Date: 2007-02-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Work, Hope, and Opportunity for the Disaster Area Today Act - Allows small business employers (employers of not more than 100 full time employees) in specified areas of the Gulf Opportunity (GO) Zone to claim a credit against the employment tax liabilities of their GO Zone employees. Limits to $15,000 per employee the amount of wages eligible for such credit in any calendar quarter. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a full tax deduction for business meal and entertainment expenses (normally, only 50% of such expenses are deductible) incurred in specified areas of the GO Zone prior to January 1, 2010. Extends through 2009: (1) the increased expensing allowance for GO Zone investment property; and (2) the work opportunity tax credit for hiring Hurricane Katrina employees. Extends through 2008 provisions allowing accelerated depreciation of qualified leasehold, restaurant, and retail improvement property located in specified areas of the GO Zone.

Date: 2007-02-08
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Taxation
Vote Integrity and Verification Act of 2007 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) with respect to: (1) ballot verification and mandatory paper record audit capacity; and (2) accessibility and ballot verification of results for individuals with disabilities.Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to study, test, and develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of ballot verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, voters whose primary language is not English, and voters with difficulties in literacy.Requires laboratories to meet standards prohibiting conflicts of interest as a condition of accreditation for the testing of voting system hardware and software.Outlines additional voting system requirements and prohibitions.Extends the authorization of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC).Provides for complaints to the Attorney General by persons aggrieved by violations of HAVA.Makes available additional funding to enable states to meet the costs of the requirements imposed by this Act. Directs the chief auditor of each state to appoint an Election Audit Board to administer, without advance notice to the precincts selected, random hand counts of the voter-verified paper ballots required to be produced and preserved for each such election held in the state. Makes it unlawful for a chief state election administration official to take an active part in political management or in a political campaign with respect to any federal election over which such official has supervisory authority. Repeals the exemption of the EAC from certain government contracting requirements.

Date: 2007-02-13
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Voter Advocate and Democracy Index Act of 2007 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to establish within the Election Assistance Commission an Office of the Voter Advocate to develop and administer a program to: (1) collect specified voter data from states with respect to each election for federal office; (2) develop, refine, and publish a Democracy Index; (3) make grants to eligible entities; and (4) make recommendations to states to improve their performance in the administration of federal elections (as determined based on a state-by-state comparison of the voter data collected under this Act.) Directs the Office to establish a Democracy Index Pilot Program for calendar year 2008 to make grants to eligible entities for the purpose of creating a Democracy Index. Requires each state to submit to the Office of the Voter Advocate specified voter data with respect to each election for federal office.

Date: 2007-03-01
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Count Every Vote Act of 2005 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 with respect to : (1) voter verification and mandatory auditing by state officials; (2) provisional ballots and requirements for casting and counting them; (3) shortening of voter wait lines; (4) equitable allocation of voting systems, poll workers, and election resources; (5) absentee balloting; (6) training of poll workers; (7) standards for purging voters; (8) an election day registration grant program; (9) standards for early voting; (10) voter registration and identification; (11) prohibition of deceptive practices and certain campaign activities; (12) voting rights of individuals convicted of criminal offenses; and (13) the Election Assistance Commission. Makes appropriations to carry out this Act. Federal Election Day Act of 2007 - Amends federal civil service to provide for federal election day as a public holiday.

Date: 2007-03-07
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to: (1) eligibility and qualifying contribution requirements, seed money limits, and benefits of fair elections financing of Senate election campaigns; (2) establishment of a Senate Fair Elections Fund; (3) eligibility for Fund allocations as well as such allocations; (4) a seed money contribution requirement; (5) contribution and expenditure requirements; (6) certification of whether or not a federal election candidate is a participating candidate; (7) benefits for participating candidates; (8) payment of fair fight funds; (9) administration of the Senate Fair Elections System; (10) reporting requirements for nonparticipating candidates; (11) modification of electioneering communication reporting requirements; and (12) the limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 with respect to the deposit of proceeds from recovered spectrum auctions.Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax credit for voluntary donations to the Senate Fair Elections Fund. Establishes the Fair Elections Review Commission. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) entitle participating candidates to receive specified reduced broadcast rates in certain circumstances; and (2) provide for political advertisement vouchers for them. Directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to charge non-public broadcast stations a spectrum use fee, which shall be deposited into the Senate Fair Elections Fund. Amends federal postal law to prohibit franked mass mailings by Members of Congress (except notices of public meetings) during the 90 days before primary and general election periods, unless they are not candidates for re-election. Amends FECA to: (1) empower the FEC to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a proceeding on certiorari; (2) revise requirements for filing with the FEC by Senate candidates; and (3) reduce from 48 to 24 hours the deadline for electronic filing with the FEC of reports by each political committee of contributions received within 90 days before an election.

Date: 2007-03-20
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics
Campaign Accountability Act of 2007 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to repeal the limitation on party expenditures on behalf of candidates in general elections.

Date: 2007-04-11
Topic: Government Operations (Political Campaigns)
Subject: Government operations and politics