H.R. 270 (113th)

Empowering Citizens Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

15 January 2013

Last action

15 January 2013 · Introduced

Status

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Summary

Empowering Citizens 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 occurring after January 1, 2014, and to establish a system of public financing for congressional elections. Increases the amount of matching funds for presidential primaries from a one-to-one match to a five-to-one match for contributions of $250 or less from individuals. Limits the total amount of payments to a primary candidate to $100 million. Provides for an inflation adjustment to matching contributions beginning after 2013. 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 $250. 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 $1,250 from individual contributors (currently, $2,500). Prohibits primary candidates from accepting contributions or bundled contributions (i.e., combining small contributions into one large contribution) from lobbyists or political action committees (PACs). 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 five-to-one match of contributions raised after June 1 of the general election year from individual donors giving up to $250 each. Increases to $50 million the limit on coordinated spending by a national party and its presidential candidate in a general election campaign. 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. Provides for public financing of congressional election campaigns. Establishes the Empowering Citizens Payment Account in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund to finance congressional election campaigns. Increases from $3 to $20 ($6 to $40 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. Prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate from establishing a joint fundraising committee with a political committee other than an authorized committee of a candidate. Revises reporting requirements for the disclosure of bundled contributions by lobbyists and to presidential campaigns. Sets forth rules for judicial review of campaign finance laws and FEC actions.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

15 January 2013
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
15 January 2013
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
15 January 2013
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Introduced in House · 15 January 2013 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 15 January 2013
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 15 January 2013
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 15 January 2013
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Related records

related to ← To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to clarify the treatment of coordinated expenditures as contributions to candidates, and for other purposes.

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/270
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/113/hr/270
us · 113-hr-270 · source updated 12 August 2025