{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr424-114/featured_empowering-citizens-act-1450779381.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr424-114/featured_large_empowering-citizens-act-1450779381.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr424-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-01-21","title_override":"Should Public Funds for Political Campaigns be Increased to Keep Private Interests out of Politics?","summary_override":"

This bill — the Empowering Citizens Act — would make changes to the way that public funding (taxpayer dollars) is given to presidential campaigns and candidates in general elections. The bill would also establish a system of public financing for congressional elections. All changes, if this bill passes, would start after January 1, 2016.

Under current law, public funding offers \"qualified Presidential candidates\" federal funding to pay for valid campaign expenses for the primaries and the general election. These funds go to:

Matching (one-to-one) the first $250 (or less) of each individual contribution that an eligible Presidential candidate receives during the primary campaign;
Financing major national party nominating conventions and some eligible minor parties' conventions;
Funding general election campaigns for major (and eligible minor) party nominees.

This bill would increase matched funds to six-to-one for primaries. The amount of aggregate individual contributions would be set at $1,000, and the total amount of payments that could be made to a presidential primary candidate would be capped at $300 million. These totals would be adjusted for inflation beginning after 2015.

New requirements for presidential candidates who choose to use the public financing system would increase the donation thresholds that candidates must raise from $5,000 in each of 20 states, to $25,000 in each state with contribution limits of $250 per candidate. These candidates would also have to commit to accept public financing in both the primary and general elections.

Presidential primary candidates would be prohibited from accepting contributions or bundled contributions (a bunch of small contributions rolled into one) from lobbyists or political action committees (PACs).

The tax check-off for contributions to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund would be increased from $3 to $20. It does not increase a person’s tax bill or decrease their refund.

","official_title":"To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the system of public financing for Presidential elections, to establish a system of public financing for Congressional elections, to promote the disclosure of disbursements made in coordination with campaigns for election for Federal office, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Empowering Citizens Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Empowering Citizens Act\n\nAmends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to revise the system of public financing for presidential primary and general elections occurring after January 1, 2016, and to establish a system of public financing for congressional elections.\n\nIncreases the amount of matching funds for presidential primaries from a one-to-one match to a six-to-one match for contributions of $250 or less from individuals, with a limit on aggregate individual contributions of $1,000. Limits the total amount of payments to a presidential primary candidate to $300 million. Provides for an inflation adjustment to matching contributions beginning after 2015.\n\nRequires presidential primary candidates who opt to participate in the public financing system to certify to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that they have raised $25,000 (currently, $5,000) in each of 20 states, with individual contributions limited to $250. Requires such candidates t...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable. ","impact":"Americans that would make campaign contributions, candidates in presidential primaries and election or congressional elections, political parties, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. ","argument_for":"This bill would make the voice of average Americans in the political process stronger at the expense of the rich, and a six-to-one public match for contributions under $250 is a great way to empower normal (non-billionaires) people in this country. ","argument_against":"Campaign contributions are political speech, and people should be able to speak with money in any way they want. If candidates can raise more $$$ outside of the public campaign finance system, even with this increase, why would they bother using it? 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Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Lobbyists Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lobbyists/black_lobbyists-1429042061.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lobbyists/grey_lobbyists-1429042061.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/lobbyists/white_lobbyists-1429042061.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"business","name":"Business","slug":"business","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Business. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. 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Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Transparency Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/transparency/black_transparency-1453508996.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/transparency/grey_transparency-1453508996.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/transparency/white_transparency-1453508996.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"voting-rights","name":"Voting Rights","slug":"voting-rights","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Voting Rights. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. 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And each \"contestant\", running for office, should get the same as the one running for the same office. Equal starting points to sell their cases to the public with out incurring debts and favors from donors. ","argument_against":null,"show_argument_for":true,"show_argument_against":false,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":0,"upvotes_against_count":null,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/e15b77e9-edae-4060-88a3-2f27115e90ca"},"body":"It should only be \"public funds\". And each \"contestant\", running for office, should get the same as the one running for the same office. Equal starting points to sell their cases to the public with out incurring debts and favors from donors. 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Should Public Funds for Political Campaigns be Increased to Keep Private Interests out of Politics?