A bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for an independent Federal Elections Commission.
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
Changes the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for a Federal Elections Commission in the executive branch to be composed of nominees chosen by the Congress and appointed by the President. States that it shall be the duty of the Commission to: (1) refer apparent violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act and related Federal statutes to the Attorney General; (2) make public the fact of any referral to the Attorney General under such Act or the basis of such finding; (3) initiate, maintain, defend, or appeal any civil action (in the name of the Commission) relating to the enforcement of the provisions of such Act and related Federal statutes; (4) petition the courts for declaratory or injunctive relief concerning any action covered by the provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act and related Federal statutes; and (5) issue subpenas under such Act. Establishes the Federal Elections Advisory Board, to be composed of members of Congress, to consult with and make recommendations to the Commission regarding the performance of the Commission's duties and functions under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. Provides that whoever willingly and willfully files a false complaint under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 or makes false statements to the Commission shall be fined not more than $25,000 or imprisoned for not more than a year, or both.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 25, 1974. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 25, 1974: Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
CHALMERS WYLIE (R-OH) introduced it on July 25, 1974. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on July 25, 1974, 19040 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19040 days ago, on July 25, 1974.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers