SENATE COMMITTEE ON RULES
AND ADMINISTRATION

(TOGETHER WITH INDIVIDUAL AND
ADDITIONAL VIEWS)

ON

S. 372

TO AMEND THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934 TO
RELIEVE BROADCASTERS OF THE EQUAL TIME RE-
QUIREMENT OF SECTION 315 WITH RESPECT TO
PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
AND TO AMEND THE CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS
REFORM ACT TO PROVIDE A FURTHER LIMITATION
ON EXPENDITURES IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS FOR
FEDERAL ELECTIVE OFFICE

JULY 11, 1973.-Ordered to be printed

99-010

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1973

STANFORD LAW LIBRARY

J

COMMITTEE ON RULES AND ADMINISTRATION

HOWARD W. CANNON, Nevada, Chairman

CLAIBORNE PELL, Rhode Island
ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia
JAMES B. ALLEN, Alabama

HARRISON A. WILLIAMS, JR., New Jersey

MARLOW W. COOK, Kentucky
HUGH SCOTT, Pennsylvania
ROBERT P. GRIFFIN, Michigan
MARK O. HATFIELD, Oregon

WILLIAM MCWHORTER COCHRANE, Staff Director
HUGH Q. ALEXANDER, Chief Counsel

JOSEPH E. O'LEARY, Professional Staff Member (Minority)
JOHN P. CODER, Professional Staff Member

Mr. CANNON, from the Committee on Rules and Administration, submitted the following

REPORT

together with

INDIVIDUAL AND ADDITIONAL VIEWS

[To accompany S. 372]

The Committee on Rules and Administration, to which was referred the bill (S. 372) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to relieve broadcasters of the equal time requirement of section 315 with respect to presidential and vice presidential candidates and to amend the Campaign Communications Reform Act to provide a further limitation on expenditures in election campaigns for Federal elective office, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.

PURPOSE OF S. 372

When the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (Public Law 92-225), became law on April 7, 1972, its fundamental purpose was the public disclosure of political contributions and expenditures by all candidates seeking nomination or election to Federal office and by all other committees, groups or individuals seeking to influence the results of those elections, directly or indirectly.

Existing limitations on contributions and expenditures were abolished with the intent to allow the citizens of the United States to act as judges of the amount and propriety of campaign receipts and expenditures by showing their approval or disapproval at the polls.

The 1972 election campaigns revealed that some donors were contributing huge sums of money to favored candidates, and some political committees were resorting to unusual methods to avoid compliance with the disclosure provisions of the new Act.