Independent expenditure .—
Federal election activity.—
In general .—
Excluded activity .—
Generic campaign activity .—
Public communication .—
Mass mailing .—
Telephone bank .—
Election cycle .—
Personal funds .—
Pub. L. 92–225, title III, § 30186 Stat. 11 Pub. L. 93–443, title II88 Stat. 1272 Pub. L. 94–283, title I90 Stat. 478 Pub. L. 96–187, title I, § 10193 Stat. 1339 Pub. L. 99–514, § 2100 Stat. 2095 Pub. L. 106–346, § 101(a) [title V, § 502(b)]114 Stat. 1356 Pub. L. 107–155, title I116 Stat. 85 (, , ; , §§ 201(a), 208(c)(1), , , 1286; , §§ 102, 115(d), (h), , , 495, 496; , , ; , , ; , , , 1356A–49; , §§ 101(b), 103(b)(1), title II, § 211, title III, § 304(c), , , 87, 92, 100.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Pub. L. 92–22586 Stat. 3 The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, referred to in par. (19), is , , , which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.
Codification
section 431 of Title 2Section was formerly classified to , The Congress, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers referenced in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections prior to their editorial reclassification to this title.
Amendments
Pub. L. 107–155, § 103(b)(1)2002—Par. (8)(B)(viii) to (xv). , redesignated cls. (ix) to (xv) as (viii) to (xiv), respectively, and struck out former cl. (viii) which read as follows: “any gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money or anything of value to a national or a State committee of a political party specifically designated to defray any cost for construction or purchase of any office facility not acquired for the purpose of influencing the election of any candidate in any particular election for Federal office;”.
Pub. L. 107–155, § 211Par. (17). , added par. (17) and struck out former par. (17) which read as follows: “The term ‘independent expenditure’ means an expenditure by a person expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate which is made without cooperation or consultation with any candidate, or any authorized committee or agent of such candidate, and which is not made in concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate, or any authorized committee or agent of such candidate.”
Pub. L. 107–155, § 101(b)Pars. (20) to (24). , added pars. (20) to (24).
Pub. L. 107–155, § 304(c)Pars. (25), (26). , added pars. (25) and (26).
Pub. L. 106–3462000—Par. (8)(B)(xv). added cl. (xv).
Pub. L. 99–5141986—Pars. (8)(B)(ix)(II), (9)(A)(vii)(II). substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.
Pub. L. 96–1871980— changed the section designations from letters to numbers, and as so redesignated, substantially redefined the terms applicable to the provisions of this Act.
Pub. L. 94–283, § 102(a)1976—Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “party which has authority to nominate” for “party held to nominate”.
Pub. L. 94–283, § 102(b)Subsec. (e)(2). , substituted “written contract, promise, or agreement,” for “contract, promise, or agreement, expressed or implied,”.
Pub. L. 94–283, § 102(c)Subsec. (e)(4). , inserted provisions establishing an exception for legal or accounting services.
Pub. L. 94–283section 441b(b) of this titlesection 610 of title 18Subsec. (e)(5). , §§ 102(d), (e), 115(d)(1), substituted “” for “the last paragraph of , United States Code” in cl. (F), added cls. (G), (H), and (I), and, in the provisions following cl. (I), substituted “person” for “individual”.
Pub. L. 94–283section 441b(b) of this titlesection 610 of title 18Subsec. (f)(4). , §§ 102(f), 115(d)(2), inserted provisions in cl. (C) requiring the reporting to the Commission of costs directly attributable to a communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identifiable candidate if those costs should exceed $2,000 per election, substituted “” for “the last paragraph of , United States Code” in cl. (H), and added cls. (I), (J), and (K).
Pub. L. 94–283, § 115(h)section 432(f)(1) of this titleSubsec. (n). , substituted “section 432(e) (1) of this title” for “”.
oPub. L. 94–283, § 102(g)(3)oSubsecs. () to (q). , added subsecs. () to (q).
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(1)1974—, inserted introductory reference to title IV of this Act, which for purposes of codification is translated as subchapter II of this chapter.
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(2)Subsec. (a)(5). , struck out from definition of “election” the election of delegates to a constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States.
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(3)Subsec. (d). , inserted reference to “club,” before “association” and substituted “other group of persons” and “receives” for “organization” and “accepts”.
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(4)Subsec. (e). , transferred the word “means” after introductory word “contribution” to become the initial word in pars. (1) to (4); in par. (1), incorporated existing provisions in provisions designated subpars. (A) and (B), and deleted former provisions respecting contributions for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election, or election, of any person as a presidential election or for the purpose of influencing the election of delegates to a constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States; in par. (2), provided for express or implied transactions; in par. (3), substitution of “funds received by a political committee which are transferred to such committee from another political committee or other source” for “a transfer of funds between political committees”; inserted at end of par. (4) the word “but”; and added par. (5).
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(5)Subsec. (f). , transferred the word “means” following introductory word “expenditure” to become the initial word in pars. (1) to (3); in par. (1), incorporated existing provisions in provisions designated subpars. (A) to (C) and deleted end text reading “, or for the purpose of influencing the election of delegates to a constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States”; in par. (2), provided for express or implied transactions; in par. (3), substituted “the transfer of funds by a political committee to another political committee; but” for “a transfer of funds between political committees”; and added par. (4).
Pub. L. 93–443, § 208(c)(1)Subsec. (g). , substituted definition of “Commission” for “supervisory officer”.
Pub. L. 93–443, § 201(a)(6)Subsecs. (j) to (n). –(8), added subsecs. (j) to (n).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment; Regulations
Pub. L. 107–155, title IV, § 402116 Stat. 112
General Effective Date.—
In general .—
Modification of contribution limits .—
Severability; effective dates and regulations; judicial review .—
Provisions not to apply to runoff elections .—
Soft Money of National Political Parties.—
In general .—
Transitional rules for the spending of soft money of national political parties.—
In general .—
Use of excess soft money funds.—
In general .—
Prohibition on using soft money for hard money expenses, debts, and obligations .—
Prohibition of building fund uses .—
Regulations.—
In general .—
Soft money of political parties .—
Effective Date of 2000 Amendment
Pub. L. 106–346, § 101(a) [title V, § 502(d)]114 Stat. 1356
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Pub. L. 96–187, title III, § 30193 Stat. 1368
Effective Date of 1974 Amendment
Pub. L. 93–443, title IV, § 41088 Stat. 1304
Effective Date
Pub. L. 92–225, title IV, § 40886 Stat. 20 Pub. L. 93–443, title III, § 30288 Stat. 1289
Transfer of Functions
Pub. L. 101–73, title IV103 Stat. 354–363 section 1437 of Title 12Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation abolished and functions transferred, see , §§ 401–406, , , set out as a note under , Banks and Banking.
Transition Provisions
Pub. L. 96–187, title III, § 30393 Stat. 1368
Study and Report on Clean Money Clean Elections Laws
Pub. L. 107–155, title III, § 310116 Stat. 104 , , , related to a study and report on clean money clean elections laws in Arizona and Maine.
Voting System Study; Report to Congress; Cost of Study
Pub. L. 96–187, title III, § 30293 Stat. 1368 Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5115(c)102 Stat. 1433 , , , as amended by , , , required the Federal Election Commission, with the cooperation and assistance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to conduct a preliminary study of the future development of voluntary engineering and procedural performance standards for voting systems and report the results to Congress with certain recommendations.