Senate Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Senate Election Spending Limits and Benefits Title II: Reduction of Special Interest Influence Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Soft Money of Political Party Committees Subtitle B: Soft Money of Persons Other Than Political Parties Subtitle C: Contributions Subtitle D: Independent Expenditures Title III: Appropriations Title IV: Severability; Judicial Review; Effective Date; Regulations Senate Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1997 - Title I: Senate Election Spending Limits and Benefits - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to set forth Senate election spending limits and benefits. Directs the Federal Election Commission to certify a candidate who has met the requirements of this title as eligible for matching funds (under such title). Title II: Reduction of Special Interest Influence - Subtitle A: Provisions Relating to Soft Money of Political Party Committees - Prohibits a national committee of a political party (including specified related entities) from soliciting or receiving contributions or making expenditures not subject to FECA. Requires a State, district, or local committee of a political party (including specified related entities) to make Federal election year expenditures (with exceptions) from funds subject to FECA. Prohibits a national, State, district, or local committee from soliciting or donating funds to a tax-exempt organization. Prohibits an incumbent or candidate for Federal office from soliciting or receiving funds not subject to such Act, or to solicit or receive funds for a non-Federal election in excess of certain limits or from prohibited sources (with exceptions for State or local candidates in compliance with State law). (Sec. 202) Establishes aggregate and separate individual and multicandidate political committee contribution limits to State Party Grassroots Funds and all committees established by a State committee of a political party. Increases annual individual contribution limits. Sets forth State Party Grassroots Fund and reporting provisions. (Sec. 203) Prohibits applying the exclusion for building funds (relating to the definition of "contribution") for purposes of any requirement to report contributions under FECA, and requires all such contributions aggregating in excess of $200 to be reported. Authorizes the filing of State reports by State committees. Requires the reporting of all disbursements made by authorized committees. Revises requirements for the reporting of the names and addresses of persons to whom certain expenditures are made to meet candidate or committee operating expenses, to require the reporting of the election to which the operating expenditure relates. Subtitle B: Soft Money of Persons Other Than Political Parties - Requires certain persons other than a political party that make aggregate election activity disbursements exceeding $10,000 to file with the Commission. Subtitle C: Contributions - Revises the provision regarding contributions by foreign nationals to prohibit donations of money or any other thing of value to political parties by foreign nationals. (Sec. 222) Revises the limitation on annual individual contributions to prohibit an individual from making contributions to a candidate or donations to political committees aggregating more than $25,000 in a calendar year. (Sec. 223) Prohibits the making of contributions to certain officials to defray legal expenses of such officials under specified conditions. Subtitle D: Independent Expenditures - Redefines the term "independent expenditure." (Sec. 232) Repeals current independent expenditure reporting requirements and replaces them with new independent expenditure reporting requirements. Title III: Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations of such sums as may be necessary for: (1) FECA; (2) the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act; and (3) the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account. Title IV: Severability; Judicial Review; Effective Date; Regulations - Sets forth provisions regarding severability, expedited review of constitutional issues, effective date, and Commission regulations.

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3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 18 September 1997

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 18 September 1997

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 18 September 1997

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