Clean and Fair Election Act of 1991 - Title I: House of Representatives Election Campaign Spending Limits and Benefits - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to set forth: (1) primary and general election filing requirements; (2) primary ($300,000) and runoff ($110,000) expenditure limits (adjusted annually for inflation); (3) threshold contribution requirements; (4) personal and general election ($550,000, with specified adjustments) expenditure limits; (5) the treatment for certain legal and accounting expenditures; (6) the benefits for eligible candidates (including certain broadcast media and mailing rates); (7) guidelines for the use of voter communication vouchers issued to eligible candidates to defray communications expenditures.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to maintain a House of Representatives Election Campaign Account as a separate account in the Presidential Election Campaign Fund to be used in redeeming voter communication vouchers. Prescribes the procedures by which voter communication voucher requests by eligible candidates will be accommodated.
Directs the Federal Election Commission to examine and audit after each general election the campaign accounts of ten percent (randomly selected) of all candidates for office in the House of Representatives to determine compliance with expenditure limitations and conditions of eligibility. Sets forth sanctions for noncompliance, including specified repayment amounts. Sets forth criminal penalties for violations of this Act. Prescribes participation by the Commission in judicial proceedings regarding violations of this Act.
Requires the Commission to report to the House of Representatives after each general election on: (1) candidate expenditures; (2) aggregate amount of voter communication vouchers; (3) the status of repayments; and (4) the balances remaining in the two campaign funds under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.
Reduces the limitations on contributions per election: (1) from $1,000 to $500 for individuals; and (2) from $5,000 to $1,000 for nonparty multicandidate political committees. Prohibits a candidate from accepting more than 20 percent of the general election spending limits in nonparty multicandidate political committee (PAC) contributions.
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to set forth guidelines for: (1) the percentage of the lowest unit charge to be made by a broadcasting licensee to a candidate for (100 percent before a primary or runoff, 50 percent before a general) non-preemption of candidate use of a broadcasting station. Requires broadcast licensees to accept voter communications voucher from a candidate and provide broadcast time. Directs the Commission to take a random sampling to evaluate licensee compliance with the requirements of this Act.
Amends Federal postal law to mandate reduced rates for certain House of Representatives candidates.
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prescribe intended expenditure reporting requirements for candidates for the the House of Representatives who: (1) have not been certified to receive certain benefits (lowered broadcast media or mailing rates, and voter communication vouchers); (2) make independent expenditures over $10,000 during any general, primary, or runoff election period; or (3) during the election cycle expend more than ten percent of the general election expenditure limit from personal funds. Requires the Commission to transmit such reports to the Secretary of the Senate within two working days of receipt.
Title II: Expenditures and Contributions -Subtitle A: Independent Expenditures - Defines the scope of cooperative expenditures and declares that cooperative expenditures shall not be treated as independent expenditures.
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to revise the equal broadcast time notification requirements for persons who reserve broadcast time through the payment of certain independent expenditures.
Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prescribe disclosure requirements for certain broadcast communications paid for through independent expenditures.
Subtitle B: Provisions Relating to Soft Money of Political Parties - Limits the amount of expenditures which a State party committee may make with respect to the general election campaign of a candidate for President affiliated with such party. Subjects FECA reporting requirements any amount received or expended by party committees with respect to any Federal election. States that the limitations on contributions under the Act applies to transfers between and among political committees. Sets forth limitations on fundraising activities of Federal candidates and officeholders.
Requires party national committees and congressional campaign committees to report all receipts and disbursements during certain periods whether or not they are connected to a Federal election.
Subtitle C: Contributions - Sets limitations on contributions which may be accepted from a PAC by either a party congressional campaign committee or a party national committee. Revises the guidelines for contributions made through intermediaries and conduits on behalf of a particular candidate. Declares that contributions made by dependents not of voting age shall be treated as having been made by the individual upon whom they are dependent. Authorizes the retention by a candidate of certain excess contributions for future campaign purposes.
Title III: Amendments to Internal Revenue Code - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the checkoff amount for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund.
Permits a tax credit for up to $100 of contributions to certain qualifying House of Representatives candidates. Provides that candidates shall not be eligible for payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund if they have received or solicited funds which are not subject to the reporting requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.
Title IV: Miscellaneous - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit an incumbent in or candidate for Federal office from establishing or controlling a political committee (other than the candidate's authorized committee, or a party committee). Proscribes fraudulent solicitation of political contributions.
Authorizes appropriations for the "check-off" education program (a public education program regarding participation in the income tax check-off for presidential and congressional election campaigns).
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Postal Operations and Services.
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