Restoring Trust in Government Act of 1997

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Reform of Financing of Campaigns

Subtitle A: Ban on Activities of Political Action

Committees

Subtitle B: Restrictions on Other Contributions

Title II: Strengthening Reporting and Disclosure

Title III: Increasing Competition Between Incumbents and

Challengers

Title IV: Strengthening Enforcement Powers of Federal

Election Commission

Title V: Worker Right to Know

Title VI: Miscellaneous and General Provisions

Restoring Trust in Government Act of 1997 - Title I: Reform of Financing of Campaigns - Subtitle A: Ban on Activities of Political Action Committees - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to ban the activities of political action committees in Federal elections. Redefines the term "political committee." Requires, for the purposes of applying the limitations on contributions made by a person or a multicandidate political committee, any political committee established or financed or maintained or controlled by any candidate or Federal officeholder be deemed to be such candidate's or officeholder's authorized committee.

(Sec. 102) Provides during any period after the effective date in which the ban is not in effect for: (1) the amendments to FECA under this Act to not be in effect; and (2) the limitation amount to be $1,000 with respect to contributions made by a multicandidate political committee to a candidate and the candidate's authorized political committees for Federal elections.

Subtitle B: Restrictions on Other Contributions - Limits the amount of contributions House and Senate candidates may accept from persons other than local individual residents. Defines the term "local individual resident."

(Sec. 112) Restricts the use of non-Federal funds by national political parties in Federal elections.

(Sec. 113) Amends Federal law to revise the ban on the solicitation or receipt of contributions at the Federal workplace to make it unlawful to solicit or receive any funds intended to influence an election for Federal office. (Currently, such ban applies to the solicitation or receipt of any contribution as defined by FECA.)

(Sec. 114) Amends FECA to prohibit contributions from noncitizen individuals. (Currently, such prohibition only applies to one who is a noncitizen and who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence.)

Title II: Strengthening Reporting and Disclosure - Revises the provision concerning all contributions made by a person directly or indirectly on behalf of a particular candidate, including contributions that are in any way earmarked or otherwise directed through an intermediary or conduit to such candidate, to require any contribution that a bundler delivers to a candidate or the candidate's authorized committee, to be treated as a contribution from the bundler to the candidate as well as from the original contributor if the contribution is in the form of a check made payable to the bundler. Defines the term "bundler."

(Sec. 202) Sets forth reporting requirements for disbursements (soft money) any person (other than a candidate or the candidate's authorized committee) makes or obligates to make for certain election activities in excess of $2,000. Requires reports of such disbursements or obligations to be filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

(Sec. 203) Redefines the term "independent expenditure."

(Sec. 204) Revises filing requirements for reports to permit the filing of additional reports by principal campaign committees on a monthly basis.

(Sec. 205) Requires any advertisement broadcast on radio or television on behalf of a candidate to include an audio statement identifying the candidate's name and the political committee responsible for the content of the advertisement.

(Sec. 206) Sets forth the following requirements for the use of a candidate's name by a political committee: (1) requires a political committee, at the time it files its initial statement of registration with the FEC, to identify by name the candidate on whose behalf it is organized; and (2) prohibits a political committee from including a candidate's name in its name unless the committee is an authorized committee of the candidate.

Title III: Increasing Competition Between Incumbents and Challengers - Amends Federal law to revise provisions regarding franked mail to prohibit a Member of or Member-elect to the Congress from mailing any mass mailing as franked mail.

Title IV: Strengthening Enforcement Powers of Federal Election Commission - Amends FECA to authorize the FEC to: (1) conduct random audits and investigations to ensure voluntary compliance; (2) seek, at any time in a proceeding, a temporary order or a temporary injunction, if the FEC believes that there is a substantial likelihood that a violation is occurring or is about to occur; and (3) order expedited proceedings in response to certain complaints.

(Sec. 404) Authorizes the FEC to appear on its own behalf in any action related to the exercise of its duties or powers in any court as either a party or as amicus curiae. (Currently, the FEC is authorized to appear in and defend against any action instituted under the Act.)

Title V: Worker Right to Know - Amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to limit the scope of allowable union security agreements to requiring employee payment of union dues or fees related only to collective bargaining, contract administration, or grievance adjustment necessary to performing the duties of exclusive representation.

Requires, under NLRA, employee consent in an annual signed written agreement before a union may accept that employee's payment of dues or fees for purposes beyond the scope of the union security agreement as limited by this Act. Requires such an agreement to include a ratio of the dues or fees related to the limited purposes and those related to other purposes.

Amends the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 to prohibit payroll deduction for union dues unrelated to the limited scope purposes, unless a written agreement authorizes such a deduction.

Requires, under NLRA, employers to post notice of worker rights to organize and collectively bargain, as well as of the limited scope of any union security agreement. Directs the National Labor Relations Board to prescribe the size and form of such notice.

Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to require every labor union to attribute and report expenses by function classification in detail necessary to allow its members to determine whether such expenses were related to collective bargaining, contract administration, or grievance adjustment necessary to performing the duties of exclusive representation or were related to other purposes. Requires disclosure under such Act to employees required to pay any union dues or fees (under a union security agreement) as well as to union members. Directs the Secretary of Labor to prescribe related regulations.

Title VI: Miscellaneous and General Provisions - Amends FECA to revise requirements for the terms of office to require FEC Commissioners to serve no more than one term.

(Sec. 602) Sets forth provisions for expedited Supreme Court review of the constitutionality of any provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act.