Text: S.J.Res.19 — 113th Congress (2013-2014)

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Reported to Senate (07/17/2014)

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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S.J. Res. 19 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 471
113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. J. RES. 19

    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
     relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect 
                               elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2013

   Mr. Udall of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Harkin, Mr. 
  Schumer, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Tester, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. King, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Franken, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. 
Udall of Colorado, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Reed, 
Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Begich, 
Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Hagan, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
  Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. Brown, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Reid, Ms. 
     Hirono, Mr. Carper, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Rockefeller, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Booker, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Manchin, Mrs. 
McCaskill, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. Nelson) introduced the following joint 
 resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

                             July 17, 2014

                Reported by Mr. Leahy, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
     relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect 
                               elections.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), <DELETED>That the following article is proposed as 
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:

                     <DELETED>``Article--</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``Section 1. To advance the fundamental principle of 
political equality for all, and to protect the integrity of the 
legislative and electoral processes, Congress shall have power to 
regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with 
respect to Federal elections, including through setting limits on--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the amount of contributions to candidates 
        for nomination for election to, or for election to, Federal 
        office; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the amount of funds that may be spent by, in 
        support of, or in opposition to such candidates.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``Section 2. To advance the fundamental principle of 
political equality for all, and to protect the integrity of the 
legislative and electoral processes, each State shall have power to 
regulate the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with 
respect to State elections, including through setting limits on--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the amount of contributions to candidates 
        for nomination for election to, or for election to, State 
        office; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the amount of funds that may be spent by, in 
        support of, or in opposition to such candidates.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``Section 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed to 
grant Congress the power to abridge the freedom of the press.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``Section 4. Congress and the States shall have power to 
implement and enforce this article by appropriate 
legislation.''.</DELETED>
    That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents 
and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the 
legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. To advance democratic self-government and political 
equality, and to protect the integrity of government and the electoral 
process, Congress and the States may regulate and set reasonable limits 
on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to 
influence elections.
    ``Section 2. Congress and the States shall have power to implement 
and enforce this article by appropriate legislation, and may 
distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other 
artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such 
entities from spending money to influence elections.
    ``Section 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed to grant 
Congress or the States the power to abridge the freedom of the 
press.''.




                                                       Calendar No. 471

113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                             S. J. RES. 19

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION

    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
     relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect 
                               elections.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 17, 2014

                       Reported with an amendment