| Hagel Bill (S 1816) | The bill would increase limits on individual hard money donations to a candidate from $1,000 per
election to $3,000. Individuals could contribute $60,000 a year to national party committees and
$15,000 to other PACs, up from the current limits of $20,000 and $5,000. The total annual contribution
from an individual would increase from $25,000 to $75,000. Limits on PAC contributions to candidates
and other PACs would increase from $5,000 per year to $7,500. Allowable PAC contributions to
national party committees would double to $30,000 per year.
Individuals would be limited to $60,000 per year in soft money contributions to national party committees. There are currently no limits. The bill would require additional monthly or quarterly reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), including itemized entries for individuals or groups that contribute more than $200 in a year. Reports would be posted on the Internet within 24 hours. The bill would require broadcasting stations to maintain records on requests from candidates or election-related groups to purchase advertising time. |
| McCain-Feingold Bill (S 1593) | The bill would raise the annual total contribution limit for individuals from $25,000 to $30,000. It would
limit individual contributions to state political party committees, currently not regulated by federal law,
to $10,000 per year.
The bill would ban the solicitation and receipt of soft money by national political party committees. It also would ban soft money donations from a political party to a tax-exempt charitable or lobbying organization created under section 501 (c) of the tax code, National political party committees would be required to report "all receipts and disbursements" and to itemize any transaction of more than $200 per year. The bill also would restrict the use of non-members' union dues for political purposes. |
| George W. Bush Plan | The plan would raise hard money contribution limits by adjusting them for inflation. It would ban soft
money contributions from unions and corporations, but not from individuals. The plan calls for "instant"
disclosure of contributions.
Bush's plan would restrict the use of members' and non-members' union dues for political purposes. It would prohibit lobbyists from making contributions to lawmakers while Congress was in session. It would prevent incumbent candidates from transferring money from one federal race to another (for example, from a Senate campaign to a presidential campaign). |
| Al Gore Plan | Gore would not change current law on hard money contributions. His plan would ban soft money. It
would require lobbyists to disclose contributions to members and Congress to post the information each
month on the Internet. Groups running issue ads within 60 days of an election would have to disclose all
funding sources. The bill would require "527" committees - political groups formed to influence elections
- to file statements of organization with the FEC to maintain their tax-exempt status.
Gore favors a $7.1 billion "Democracy Endowment" to finance general election campaigns for candidates who agree not to take private money. He also favors free broadcast time for candidates targeted by issue ads and more voluntary coverage by broadcasters in the month before an election |
SOURCE: C.Q. Weekly (May 23, 2000), p. 1092.