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.
- IntroducedJan 24, 2017
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- 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.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-WA | Adam Smith | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Adriano Espaillat | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Al Green | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Alan S. Lowenthal | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Albio Sires | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Alcee L. Hastings | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Ami Bera | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IN | André Carson | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NH | Ann M. Kuster | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | Anthony G. Brown | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NM | Ben Ray Luján | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Beto O'Rourke | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MN | Betty McCollum | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Bill Pascrell, Jr. | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Bonnie Watson Coleman | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Brad Sherman | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Bradley Scott Schneider | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MI | Brenda L. Lawrence | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-PA | Brendan F. Boyle | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NH | Carol Shea-Porter | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Carolyn B. Maloney | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-ME | Chellie Pingree | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MI | Daniel T. Kildee | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Danny K. Davis | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Darren Soto | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IA | David Loebsack | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-RI | David N. Cicilline | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MI | Debbie Dingell | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Debbie Wasserman Schultz | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WA | Denny Heck | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WA | Derek Kilmer | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CO | Diana DeGette | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Donald M. Payne, Jr. | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Donald Norcross | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-VA | Donald S. Beyer, Jr. | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Doris O. Matsui | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CO | Ed Perlmutter | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Eddie Bernice Johnson | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | Elijah E. Cummings | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Eliot L. Engel | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CT | Elizabeth H. Esty | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MO | Emanuel Cleaver | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Eric Swalwell | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NJ | Frank Pallone, Jr. | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NC | G. K. Butterfield | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Gene Green | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-VA | Gerald E. Connolly | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Grace F. Napolitano | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Grace Meng | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Gregory W. Meeks | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WI | Gwen Moore | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Hakeem S. Jeffries | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Jackie Speier | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CT | James A. Himes | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-SC | James E. Clyburn | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | James P. McGovern | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-RI | James R. Langevin | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Janice D. Schakowsky | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Jared Huffman | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CO | Jared Polis | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Jerrold Nadler | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Jerry McNerney | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TN | Jim Cooper | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Joaquin Castro | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CT | Joe Courtney | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-KY | John A. Yarmuth | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CT | John B. Larson | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MI | John Conyers, Jr. | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | John K. Delaney | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-GA | John Lewis | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Jose E. Serrano | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Joseph Crowley | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Joseph P. Kennedy III | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OH | Joyce Beatty | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Juan Vargas | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Judy Chu | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Karen Bass | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Katherine M. Clark | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Kathleen M. Rice | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Kathy Castor | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MN | Keith Ellison | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Linda T. Sánchez | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Lloyd Doggett | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Lois Frankel | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Louise McIntosh Slaughter | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Lucille Roybal-Allard | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Luis V. Gutierrez | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Marc A. Veasey | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OH | Marcia L. Fudge | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OH | Marcy Kaptur | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Mark DeSaulnier | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WI | Mark Pocan | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Mark Takano | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-PA | Matt Cartwright | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Michael E. Capuano | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-PA | Michael F. Doyle | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NM | Michelle Lujan Grisham | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Mike Quigley | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Mike Thompson | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Nancy Pelosi | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Niki Tsongas | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Nita M. Lowey | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Nydia M. Velázquez | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Paul Tonko | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Pete Aguilar | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OR | Peter A. DeFazio | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-VT | Peter Welch | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WA | Pramila Jayapal | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Raja Krishnamoorthi | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-AZ | Raúl M. Grijalva | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MN | Richard M. Nolan | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WA | Rick Larsen | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Ro Khanna | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-VA | Robert C. "Bobby" Scott | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-IL | Robin L. Kelly | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WI | Ron Kind | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CT | Rosa L. DeLauro | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-AZ | Ruben Gallego | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NV | Ruben J. Kihuen | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Scott H. Peters | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Sean Patrick Maloney | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Seth Moulton | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TX | Sheila Jackson Lee | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MD | Steny H. Hoyer | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Stephanie N. Murphy | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | Stephen F. Lynch | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-TN | Steve Cohen | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Susan A. Davis | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-WA | Suzan K. DelBene | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OR | Suzanne Bonamici | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Ted Lieu | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-AL | Terri A. Sewell | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-FL | Theodore E. Deutch | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-OH | Tim Ryan | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MN | Timothy J. Walz | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-AZ | Tom O'Halleran | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Tony Cárdenas | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-HI | Tulsi Gabbard | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| R-NC | Walter B. Jones | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MA | William R. Keating | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-MO | Wm. Lacy Clay | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-NY | Yvette D. Clarke | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Zoe Lofgren | Original | Jan 24, 2017 |
| D-CA | Salud O. Carbajal | Feb 16, 2017 | |
| D-IL | Cheri Bustos | Feb 27, 2017 | |
| D-CA | Julia Brownley | Feb 27, 2017 | |
| D-PA | Robert A. Brady | Feb 27, 2017 | |
| D-IL | Bill Foster | Mar 2, 2017 | |
| D-LA | Cedric L. Richmond | Mar 2, 2017 | |
| D-CA | Anna G. Eshoo | Mar 23, 2017 | |
| D-CA | Nanette Diaz Barragán | Apr 25, 2017 | |
| D-DE | Lisa Blunt Rochester | Sep 25, 2017 | |
| D-HI | Colleen Hanabusa | Jan 17, 2018 | |
| D-NY | Thomas R. Suozzi | Jan 29, 2018 | |
| D-NC | Alma S. Adams | May 16, 2018 | |
| D-FL | Frederica S. Wilson | Jun 15, 2018 | |
| D-PA | Conor Lamb | Jul 10, 2018 | |
| D-NY | Joseph D. Morelle | Dec 19, 2018 |
Committees 3
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Committee on House Administration | Referred Jan 24, 2017 |
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Jan 24, 2017 |
| House | Ways and Means Committee | Referred Jan 24, 2017 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jan 24, 2017Introduced in House
- 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.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H4297 | Alcee L. Hastings D-FL, John P. Sarbanes D-MD | May 22, 2018 |
| House | Lists 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
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.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 20 | Government By the People Act of 2015 | Reintroduction of | Mar 30, 2015 |
| HR 7067 | Clean Money Act of 2018 | Related bill | Oct 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.
- Accounting and auditing
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Computers and information technology
- Congressional elections
- Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
- Executive agency funding and structure
- Federal Election Commission (FEC)
- Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
- Government information and archives
- Government Operations and Politics
- Government trust funds
- House of Representatives
- Income tax credits
- Inflation and prices
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Judicial review and appeals
- Licensing and registrations
- Political advertising
- Public participation and lobbying
- Supreme Court
- Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
- Telecommunication rates and fees
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 24, 2017Introduced in House
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.