H.R. 9354 — Fair Elections Now Act

This section establishes public financing for House candidates who participate in the new Fair Elections program. It provides allocations from the Fair Elections Fund equal to 40 percent of the base amount for a primary election, 60 percent for a general election, 25 percent for runoffs or recounts, and 25 percent of the otherwise applicable amount for uncontested elections. The base amount equals 80 percent of the national average disbursements by winning candidates in the prior two election cycles. It also provides matching payments equal to 500 percent of qualified small dollar contributions from state residents, capped at the greater of 300 percent of the allocation or a Commission-determined percentage. Allocations must be paid within 48 hours of certification or recount order, and matching payments within two business days of required reports.

This section transfers 50 percent of any civil money penalty payments received in the General Fund of the Treasury under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to the Fair Elections Fund.

This section prohibits candidates for Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who are certified as participating candidates under title V from using contributions accepted under the Fair Elections Financing program for any purpose other than authorized campaign expenditures.

This section prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate from establishing a joint fundraising committee with any political committee other than another authorized committee of a candidate.

This section limits coordinated expenditures by political party committees on behalf of House candidates certified as participating candidates under title V to the lesser of 10 percent of the candidate’s general election allocation under section 502(a) or the amount that would otherwise apply. It applies the existing coordinated expenditure limits only to candidates who are not certified as participating candidates under title V.

This section requires all designations, statements, and reports under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to be filed with the Federal Election Commission.

This section requires all designations, statements, and reports filed under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to be maintained and submitted in electronic form accessible by computers. It shortens the filing deadline to 24 hours (from 48 hours) and eliminates the exception previously provided in subparagraph (D).

This section provides that if any provision of this Act or amendment made by this Act is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act and its amendments shall remain in effect and apply to any person or circumstance.