HR 20 · 115th Congress 2017–2019, ended

Government By the People Act of 2017

Latest action · Jan 24, 2017 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedJan 24, 2017
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Government By the People Act of 2017

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to establish a program for small individual donations to campaigns for public office and make other changes to campaign finance law.

The bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) individual taxpayers a refundable tax credit of 50% of qualified congressional House campaign contributions (i.e., cash contributions by an individual to a candidate for the House of Representatives or a political committee established and maintained by a national political party, to be known as "My Voice Federal" contributions); and (2) individual taxpayers to designate a portion of any overpayment of tax as a contribution to the Freedom From Influence Fund.

The Government by the People Oversight Commission, established by this bill, shall establish a voucher pilot program to provide voters with a $50 "My Voice Voucher" for making campaign contributions.

The bill amends the FECA to establish a 6-1 matching program for small dollar contributions (up to $150) to a candidate for public office and sets forth eligibility, certification, and expenditure requirements for candidates.

The bill permits unlimited coordinated party expenditures from small donor sources on behalf of publicly financed House candidates.

The bill requires disclosure by all bundlers of bundled contributions (i.e., the practice of combining several small campaign contributions into one large contribution to avoid exceeding the limit on contributions), not just registered lobbyists.

The bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the access of candidates for public office to broadcasting.

Cosponsors 163

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 24, 2017 to Dec 19, 2018; 148 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-WAAdam SmithOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYAdriano EspaillatOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXAl GreenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAAlan S. LowenthalOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJAlbio SiresOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLAlcee L. HastingsOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAAmi BeraOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-INAndré CarsonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NHAnn M. KusterOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDAnthony G. BrownOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CABarbara LeeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NMBen Ray LujánOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXBeto O'RourkeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MNBetty McCollumOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJBill Pascrell, Jr.OriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJBonnie Watson ColemanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CABrad ShermanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILBradley Scott SchneiderOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MIBrenda L. LawrenceOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-PABrendan F. BoyleOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDC. A. Dutch RuppersbergerOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NHCarol Shea-PorterOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYCarolyn B. MaloneyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MEChellie PingreeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MIDaniel T. KildeeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLDarren SotoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-IADavid LoebsackOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-RIDavid N. CicillineOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MIDebbie DingellOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLDebbie Wasserman SchultzOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WADenny HeckOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WADerek KilmerOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CODiana DeGetteOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.OriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJDonald NorcrossOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-VADonald S. Beyer, Jr.OriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CADoris O. MatsuiOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-OREarl BlumenauerOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-COEd PerlmutterOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXEddie Bernice JohnsonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-DCEleanor Holmes NortonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDElijah E. CummingsOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYEliot L. EngelOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CTElizabeth H. EstyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MOEmanuel CleaverOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAEric SwalwellOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NJFrank Pallone, Jr.OriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NCG. K. ButterfieldOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXGene GreenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-VAGerald E. ConnollyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAGrace F. NapolitanoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYGrace MengOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYGregory W. MeeksOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WIGwen MooreOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYHakeem S. JeffriesOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAJackie SpeierOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CTJames A. HimesOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-SCJames E. ClyburnOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAJames P. McGovernOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-RIJames R. LangevinOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDJamie RaskinOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILJanice D. SchakowskyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAJared HuffmanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-COJared PolisOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYJerrold NadlerOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAJerry McNerneyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TNJim CooperOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXJoaquin CastroOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CTJoe CourtneyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-KYJohn A. YarmuthOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CTJohn B. LarsonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MIJohn Conyers, Jr.OriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDJohn K. DelaneyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-GAJohn LewisOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYJose E. SerranoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYJoseph CrowleyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAJoseph P. Kennedy IIIOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-OHJoyce BeattyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAJuan VargasOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAJudy ChuOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAKaren BassOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAKatherine M. ClarkOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYKathleen M. RiceOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLKathy CastorOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MNKeith EllisonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CALinda T. SánchezOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXLloyd DoggettOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLLois FrankelOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYLouise McIntosh SlaughterOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CALucille Roybal-AllardOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILLuis V. GutierrezOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXMarc A. VeaseyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-OHMarcia L. FudgeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-OHMarcy KapturOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAMark DeSaulnierOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WIMark PocanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAMark TakanoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-PAMatt CartwrightOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAMichael E. CapuanoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-PAMichael F. DoyleOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NMMichelle Lujan GrishamOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILMike QuigleyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAMike ThompsonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CANancy PelosiOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MANiki TsongasOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYNita M. LoweyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYNydia M. VelázquezOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYPaul TonkoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAPete AguilarOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ORPeter A. DeFazioOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-VTPeter WelchOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WAPramila JayapalOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILRaja KrishnamoorthiOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-AZRaúl M. GrijalvaOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MNRichard M. NolanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WARick LarsenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CARo KhannaOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-VARobert C. "Bobby" ScottOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ILRobin L. KellyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WIRon KindOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CTRosa L. DeLauroOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-AZRuben GallegoOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NVRuben J. KihuenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAScott H. PetersOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYSean Patrick MaloneyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MASeth MoultonOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MDSteny H. HoyerOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLStephanie N. MurphyOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAStephen F. LynchOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-TNSteve CohenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CASusan A. DavisOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-WASuzan K. DelBeneOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ORSuzanne BonamiciOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CATed LieuOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-ALTerri A. SewellOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-FLTheodore E. DeutchOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-OHTim RyanOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MNTimothy J. WalzOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-AZTom O'HalleranOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CATony CárdenasOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-HITulsi GabbardOriginalJan 24, 2017
R-NCWalter B. JonesOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MAWilliam R. KeatingOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-MOWm. Lacy ClayOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-NYYvette D. ClarkeOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CAZoe LofgrenOriginalJan 24, 2017
D-CASalud O. CarbajalFeb 16, 2017
D-ILCheri BustosFeb 27, 2017
D-CAJulia BrownleyFeb 27, 2017
D-PARobert A. BradyFeb 27, 2017
D-ILBill FosterMar 2, 2017
D-LACedric L. RichmondMar 2, 2017
D-CAAnna G. EshooMar 23, 2017
D-CANanette Diaz BarragánApr 25, 2017
D-DELisa Blunt RochesterSep 25, 2017
D-HIColleen HanabusaJan 17, 2018
D-NYThomas R. SuozziJan 29, 2018
D-NCAlma S. AdamsMay 16, 2018
D-FLFrederica S. WilsonJun 15, 2018
D-PAConor LambJul 10, 2018
D-NYJoseph D. MorelleDec 19, 2018

Committees 3

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseCommittee on House Administration
Referred Jan 24, 2017
HouseEnergy and Commerce Committee
Referred Jan 24, 2017
HouseWays and Means Committee
Referred Jan 24, 2017

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Jan 24, 2017Introduced in House
  2. Jan 24, 2017Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

In the Congressional Record 2

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
HouseDebate and remarks H4297Alcee L. Hastings D-FL, John P. Sarbanes D-MDMay 22, 2018
HouseLists H687H.R. 20—Jan 24, 2017

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution under the General Welfare Clause.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 163, no. 13, January 24, 2017, page H687.

Related bills 2

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 20Government By the People Act of 2015Reintroduction ofMar 30, 2015
HR 7067Clean Money Act of 2018Related billOct 16, 2018

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
To reform the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors, and for other purposes.
Short Titles as Introduced
Government By the People Act of 2017

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Government Operations and Politics.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Jan 24, 2017Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.