Clean Campaign Act of 1992

Clean Campaign Act of 1992 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that, if any legally qualified candidate for any Federal elective office uses a broadcast station to refer to another legally qualified candidate, such reference shall be made in person. Requires any licensee that permits a broadcasting station to be used in a manner not in accordance with such requirement to provide to the candidate to whom the reference was made the opportunity to use, without charge, an equal amount of time.

Makes this Act equally applicable in the case of an authorized committee speaking on behalf of or against a legally qualified candidate.

 
HR 5065 IH
102d CONGRESS
2d Session
 H. R. 5065
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 regarding the broadcasting of
certain material regarding candidates for Federal elective office, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 5, 1992
Mr. MORRISON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 regarding the broadcasting of
certain material regarding candidates for Federal elective office, and for
other purposes.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
  SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the `Clean Campaign Act of 1992'.
  SEC. 2. (a) Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 315)
  is amended--
  (1) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as subsections (c),
  (d), and (e), respectively; and
  (2) by inserting immediately after subsection (a) the following new
  subsection:
  `(b)(1) If any legally qualified candidate for any Federal elective office
  (or an authorized committee of any such candidate) who utilizes rights of
  access and conditions of access under the provisions of this Act uses a
  broadcasting station to refer, directly or indirectly, to another legally
  qualified candidate for that office, such reference shall be made in person
  by such legally qualified candidate.
  `(2) If any licensee permits a broadcasting station to be used in a manner
  not in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection,
  such licensee shall provide, within a reasonable period of time, to the
  candidate to whom reference was made the opportunity to use, without
  charge, the same amount of time on such broadcasting station, during the
  same period of the day, as was used by the legally qualified candidate
  (or by an authorized committee of such legally qualified candidate).'.
  (b) Section 315(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 315(a))
  is amended by striking `section' and inserting in lieu thereof `subsection'.
  (c) Section 315(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as so redesignated
  by subsection (a) of this section, is amended--
  (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as paragraphs (2) and (3),
  respectively; and
  (2) by inserting immediately after `section--' the following new paragraph:
  `(1) the term `authorized committee' means, with respect to any candidate
  for nomination for election, or election, to any Federal elective office,
  any committee, club, association, or other group of persons which receives
  contributions or makes expenditures during a calendar year in an aggregate
  amount exceeding $1,000 and which is authorized by such candidate to accept
  contributions or make expenditures on behalf of such candidate to further
  the nomination or election of such candidate;'.
  SEC. 3. If any provision of this Act or the application of it to any
  person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the
  application of the provision to any other person or circumstance shall
  not be affected by such invalidation.