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H.R. 1338 aims to limit the ability of banks, corporations, and PACs to donate large sums of money to election campaigns. Specifically, it bans “independent expenditures,” money set aside by a group (like a Super PAC) or an individual for advertisements that express support or opposition to a candidate.

The bill also amends election law so that organizations making “electioneering communications” — essentially, campaign advertisements — are treated like the entities from which they receive money. That is to say, if a PAC receives money from a bank, they’ll be treated like a bank. Banks aren’t allowed to contribute to campaigns. This stipulation includes 501 (c)(4) organizations. Unless they have a separate fund explicitly for individual contributions, the bill will treat their election communications like those from the businesses that donate to them.

As described in the “Findings” section that opens this bill, it comes largely as a response to the “Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission” Supreme Court Case, wherein the Court ruled that campaign donations were a form of speech protected by the Constitution and could not be limited by the Federal government. That means that corporations, unions and individuals can spend as much money as they want on campaign advertisements. Some pundits have said Citizens United has had a disastrous effect on politics. Others have found that it hasn’t changed the election landscape all that much. H.R. 1338 stands in direct opposition to the Citizens United ruling.

Finally, the bill comes with a severability clause: if one part of it is found unconstitutional, the others will still remain in effect.

","official_title":"To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reassert the authority of Congress to restrict spending by corporations and labor organizations on campaigns for elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Restoring Confidence in Our Democracy Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Restoring Confidence in Our Democracy Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to set forth special rules for electioneering communications, especially targeted communications, which national banks, corporations, and labor organizations are prohibited from paying for.\n\nDefines \"targeted communications\" as electioneering communications distributed from a television or radio broadcast station or provider of cable or satellite television service and, in the case of a communication which refers to a candidate for an office other than President or Vice President, is targeted to the relevant electorate.\n\nProhibits independent expenditures by national banks, corporations, and labor organizations.\n\nApplies certain limitations on contributions made by any person to a political committee to any contribution to a political committee which accepts donations or contributions that do not comply with contribution or source prohibitions (or made to any account of a political committee est...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable. 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Citizens United 2: Citizens Strike Back