To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to clarify the treatment of coordinated expenditures as contributions to candidates, and for other purposes.
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 18, 2014
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to treat as a campaign contribution any payment made by any person (other than a candidate, an authorized committee of a candidate, or a political committee of a political party) for a coordinated expenditure which is not otherwise treated as a contribution.
Repeals the prohibition against contributions by minors.
Sets forth rules governing payments for coordinated expenditures, including special rule for payments by coordinated spenders for covered communications.
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Defines "covered communication" as a public communication which: (1) promotes or supports the candidate, or attacks or opposes an opponent of the candidate (regardless of whether the communication expressly advocates the election or defeat of a candidate or contains the functional equivalent of express advocacy); or (2) refers to the candidate or an opponent of the candidate in other ways, but only if the communication is disseminated during the applicable election period.
Prohibits candidates or individuals holding federal office, their agents, and certain related entities from soliciting, receiving, directing, or transferring funds to or on behalf of any political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with FECA limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements, or to or on behalf of any 527 organization which accepts such donations or contributions (other than a committee of a state or local political party or a candidate for election for state or local office).
(A 527 organization, tax-exempt in certain circumstances under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, is created primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office.)
Source last updated: Jan 3, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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