,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #afhc  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #a1    
#bjag,mr4 ,donnelly introduced the      
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,rules   
and ,administration  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend the ,federal ,election ,campaign  
,act of #aiga to reduce the number of   
members of the ,federal ,election       
,commission from #f to #e1 to revise the
 method of selection and terms of       
service of members of the ,commission1  
to distribute the powers of the         
,commission between the ,chair and the  
remaining members1 and for other        
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,restoring          
,integrity to ,america's ,elections     
,act4  #b4 ,membership of ,federal      
,election ,commission  7a7 ,reduction in
 ,number of ,members2 ,removal of       
,secretary of ,senate and ,clerk of     
,house as ,ex ,officio ,members  7#a7   
,in general2 quorum ,section            

#cjf7;a77#a7 of the ,federal ,election  
,campaign ,act of #aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4  
#cjajf7;a77#a77 is amended by striking  
the second and third sentences and      
inserting the following3 ,the           
,commission is composed of #e members   
appointed by the ,president by and with 
the advice and consent of the ,senate1  
of whom no more than #b may be          
affiliated with the same political      
party4 ,a majority of the number of     
members of the ,commission who are      
serving at the time shall constitute a  
quorum1 except that #c members shall    
constitute a quorum if there are #d     
members serving at the time44  7#b7     
,conforming amendments relating to      
reduction in number of members  7,a7    
,the second sentence of section #cjf7;c7
 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjajf7;c77
 is amended by striking affirmative vote
 of #d members of the ,commission and   
inserting affirmative vote of a majority
 of the members of the ,commission who  
are serving at the time4  7,b7 ,such    

,act is further amended by striking     
affirmative vote of #d of its members   
and inserting affirmative vote of a     
majority of the members of the          
,commission who are serving at the time 
each place it appears in the following  
sections3  7i7 ,section #cji7;a77#b7    
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#b774  7ii7   
,section #cji7;a77#d77;,a77i7 7#eb      
,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#d77;,a77i774      
7iii7 ,section #cji7;a77#e77;,c7 7#eb   
,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#e77;,c774  7iv7   
,section #cji7;a77#f77;,a7 7#eb         
,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#f77;,a774  7v7    
,section #caa7;b7 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4        
#cjaaa7;b774  7#c7 ,conforming amendment
 relating to removal of ex officio      
members ,section #cjf7;a7 of such ,act  
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjajf7;a77 is amended by
 striking 7other than the ,secretary of 
the ,senate and the ,clerk of the ,house
 of ,representatives7 each place it     
appears in paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e74    
7b7 ,terms of ,service ,section         
#cjf7;a77#b7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4

 #cjajf7;a77#b77 is amended to read as  
follows3  7#b7 ,terms of service  7,a7  
,chair ,the ,chair of the ,commission   
shall serve for a single term of #aj    
years4  7,b7 ,other members ,each member
 of the ,commission other than the      
,chair shall serve for a single term of 
#f years4  7,c7 ,special rule for       
initial appointments ,of the members    
7other than the ,chair7 first appointed 
to serve terms that begin in ,january   
#bjbj1 the ,president shall designate   
two to serve for a #c-year term4  7,d7  
,no reappointment permitted ,an         
individual who served a term as a       
,member of the ,commission 7including   
the ,chair7 may not serve for an        
additional term1 except that--  7i7 an  
individual who served a #c-year term    
under subparagraph 7,c7 may also be     
appointed to serve a #f-year term under 
subparagraph 7,b7 or a #aj-year term as 
,chair under subparagraph 7,a72 and     
7ii7 for purposes of this subparagraph1 
an individual who is appointed to fill a

 vacancy under subparagraph 7,e7 shall  
not be considered to have served a term 
if the portion of the unexpired term the
 individual fills is less than #ej      
percent of the period of the term4  7,e7
 ,vacancies ,any vacancy occurring in   
the membership of the ,commission shall 
be filled in the same manner as in the  
case of the original appointment4       
,except as provided in subparagraph     
7,d71 an individual appointed to fill a 
vacancy occurring other than by the     
expiration of a term of office shall be 
appointed only for the unexpired term of
 the member he or she succeeds4  7,f7   
,limitation on service after expiration 
of term ,a member of the ,commission may
 continue to serve on the ,commission   
after the expiration of the member's    
term for an additional period1 but only 
until the earlier of--  7i7 the date on 
which the member's successor has taken  
office as a member of the ,commission2  
or  7ii7 the expiration of the #a-year  
period that begins on the last day of   

the member's term4  4  7c7              
,qualifications ,section #cjf7;a77#c7 of
 such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4               
#cjajf7;a77#c77 is amended to read as   
follows3  7#c7 ,qualifications  7,a7 ,in
 general ,the ,president may select an  
individual for service as a ,member of  
the ,commission if the individual has   
experience in election law and has a    
demonstrated record of integrity1       
impartiality1 and good judgment4  7,b7  
,assistance of ,blue ,ribbon ,advisory  
,panel  7i7 ,in general ,prior to the   
regularly scheduled expiration of the   
term of a member of the ,commission and 
upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the 
membership of the ,commission prior to  
the expiration of a term1 the ,president
 shall convene a ,blue ,ribbon ,advisory
 ,panel1 consisting of an odd number of 
individuals selected by the ,president  
from retired ,federal judges1 former law
 enforcement officials1 or individuals  
with experience in election law1 except 
that the ,president may not select any  

individual to serve on the panel who    
holds any public office at the time of  
selection4  7ii7 ,recommendations ,with 
respect to each member of the           
,commission whose term is expiring or   
each vacancy in the membership of the   
,commission 7as the case may be71 the   
,blue ,ribbon ,advisory ,panel shall    
recommend to the ,president at least one
 but not more than #c individuals for   
nomination for appointment as a member  
of the ,commission4  7iii7 ,publication 
,at the time the ,president submits to  
the ,senate the nominations for         
individuals to be appointed as members  
of the ,commission1 the ,president shall
 publish the ,blue ,ribbon ,advisory    
,panel's recommendations for such       
nominations4  7iv7 ,exemption from      
,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act ,the 
,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e  
,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 does not apply to a    
,blue ,ribbon ,advisory ,panel convened 
under this subparagraph4  7,c7          
,prohibiting engagement with other      

business or employment during service ,a
 member of the ,commission shall not    
engage in any other business1 vocation1 
or employment4 ,any individual who is   
engaging in any other business1         
vocation1 or employment at the time of  
his or her appointment to the           
,commission shall terminate or liquidate
 such activity no later than #ij days   
after such appointment4  4  #c4         
,assignment of ,powers to ,chair of     
,federal ,election ,commission  7a7     
,appointment of ,chair by ,president    
7#a7 ,in general ,section #cjf7;a77#e7  
of the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act
 of #aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjajf7;a77#e77
 is amended to read as follows3  7#e7   
,chair  7,a7 ,initial appointment ,of   
the members first appointed to serve    
terms that begin in ,january #bjbj1 one 
such member 7as designated by the       
,president at the time the ,president   
submits nominations to the ,senate7     
shall serve as ,chair of the            
,commission4  7,b7 ,subsequent          

appointments ,any individual who is     
appointed to succeed the ,member who    
serves as ,chair of the ,commission for 
the term beginning in ,january #bjbj 7as
 well as any individual who is appointed
 to fill a vacancy if such ,member does 
not serve a full term as ,chair7 shall  
serve as ,chair of the ,commission4     
7,c7 ,vice ,chair ,the ,commission shall
 select1 by majority vote of its        
members1 one of its members to serve as 
,vice ,chair1 who shall act as ,chair in
 the absence or disability of the ,chair
 or in the event of a vacancy in the    
position of ,chair4  4  7#b7 ,conforming
 amendment ,section #cji7;a77#b7 of such
 ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#b77 is 
amended by striking through its chairman
 or vice chairman and inserting through 
the ,chair4  7b7 ,powers  7#a7          
,assignment of certain powers to ,chair 
,section #cjg7;a7 of such ,act 7#eb     
,u4,s4,c4 #cjajg7;a77 is amended to read
 as follows3  7a7 ,distribution of      
,powers ,between ,chair and ,commission 

7#a7 ,powers assigned to ,chair  7,a7   
,administrative powers ,the ,chair of   
the ,commission shall be the chief      
administrative officer of the           
,commission and shall have the authority
 to administer the ,commission and its  
staff1 and 7in consultation with the    
other members of the ,commission7 shall 
have the power--  7i7 to appoint and    
remove the staff director and general   
counsel of the ,commission2  7ii7 to    
request the assistance 7including       
personnel and facilities7 of other      
agencies and departments of the ,united 
,states1 whose heads may make such      
assistance available to the ,commission 
with or without reimbursement2 and      
7iii7 to prepare and establish the      
budget of the ,commission and to make   
budget requests to the ,president1 the  
,director of the ,office of ,management 
and ,budget1 and ,congress4  7,b7 ,other
 powers ,the ,chair of the ,commission  
shall have the power-- 7i7 to require by
 special or general orders1 any person  

to submit1 under oath1 such written     
reports and answers to questions as the 
,chair may prescribe2  7ii7 to          
administer oaths or affirmations2  7iii7
 to require by subpoena1 signed by the  
,chair1 the attendance and testimony of 
witnesses and the production of all     
documentary evidence relating to the    
execution of its duties2  7iv7 in any   
proceeding or investigation1 to order   
testimony to be taken by deposition     
before any person who is designated by  
the ,chair1 and shall have the power to 
administer oaths and1 in such instances1
 to compel testimony and the production 
of evidence in the same manner as       
authorized under clause 7iii72 and  7v7 
to pay witnesses the same fees and      
mileage as are paid in like             
circumstances in the courts of the      
,united ,states4  7#b7 ,powers assigned 
to ,commission ,the ,commission shall   
have the power-- 7,a7 to initiate       
7through civil actions for injunctive1  
declaratory1 or other appropriate       

relief71 defend 7in the case of any     
civil action brought under section      
#cji7;a77#h7 of this ,act7 or appeal any
 civil action in the name of the        
,commission to enforce the provisions of
 this ,act and chapter #ie and chapter  
#if of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of  
#aied1 through its general counsel2     
7,b7 to render advisory opinions under  
section #cjh of this ,act2  7,c7 to     
develop such prescribed forms and to    
make1 amend1 and repeal such rules1     
pursuant to the provisions of chapter #e
 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 as 
are necessary to carry out the          
provisions of this ,act and chapter #ie 
and chapter #if of the ,internal        
,revenue ,code of #aihf2  7,d7 to       
conduct investigations and hearings     
expeditiously1 to encourage voluntary   
compliance1 and to report apparent      
violations to the appropriate law       
enforcement authorities2 and  7,e7 to   
transmit to the ,president and ,congress
 not later than ,june #a of each year a 

report which states in detail the       
activities of the ,commission in        
carrying out its duties under this ,act1
 and which includes any recommendations 
for any legislative or other action the 
,commission considers appropriate4  7#c7
 ,permitting ,commission to exercise    
other powers of ,chair ,with respect to 
any investigation1 action1 or           
proceeding1 the ,commission1 by an      
affirmative vote of a majority of the   
members who are serving at the time1 may
 exercise any of the powers of the      
,chair described in paragraph 7#a77;,b74
  4  7#b7 ,conforming amendments        
relating to personnel authority ,section
 #cjf7;f7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4   
#cjajf7;f77 is amended-- 7,a7 by        
amending the first sentence of paragraph
 7#a7 to read as follows3 ,the          
,commission shall have a staff director 
and a general counsel who shall be      
appointed by the ,chair of the          
,commission in consultation with the    
other members42  7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71

 by striking ,with the approval of the  
,commission and inserting ,with the     
approval of the ,chair of the           
,commission2 and  7,c7 by striking      
paragraph 7#c74  7#c7 ,conforming       
amendment relating to budget submission 
,section #cjg7;d77#a7 of such ,act 7#eb 
,u4,s4,c4 #cjajg7;d77#a77 is amended by 
striking the ,commission submits any    
budget and inserting the ,chair 7or1    
pursuant to subsection 7a77#c71 the     
,commission7 submits any budget4  7#d7  
,other conforming amendments ,section   
#cjf7;c7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4    
#cjajf7;c77 is amended by striking ,all 
decisions and inserting ,subject to     
section #cjg7;a71 all decisions4  7#e7  
,technical amendment ,the heading of    
section #cjg of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4
 #cjajg7 is amended by striking the     
commission and inserting the chair and  
the commission4  #d4 ,revision to       
certain enforcement authorities  7a7    
,clarifying ,authority of ,,fec         
,attorneys ,to ,represent ,,fec in      

,supreme ,court  7#a7 ,clarifying       
authority ,section #cjf7;f77#d7 of the  
,federal ,election ,campaign ,act of    
#aiga 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjajf7;f77#d77 is 
amended by striking any action          
instituted under this ,act1 either 7,a7 
by attorneys and inserting any action   
instituted under this ,act1 including an
 action before the ,supreme ,court of   
the ,united ,states1 either 7,a7 by the 
,general ,counsel of the ,commission and
 other attorneys4  7#b7 ,effective date 
,the amendment made by paragraph 7#a7   
shall apply with respect to actions     
instituted before1 on1 or after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act4  7b7    
,permitting ,appearance at ,hearings on 
,requests for ,advisory ,opinions by    
,persons ,opposing the ,requests  7#a7  
,in general ,section #cjh of such ,act  
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #cjajh7 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7e7 ,to the extent that the
 ,commission provides an opportunity for
 a person requesting an advisory opinion

 under this section 7or counsel for such
 person7 to appear before the           
,commission to present testimony in     
support of the request1 and the person  
7or counsel7 accepts such opportunity1  
the ,commission shall provide a         
reasonable opportunity for an interested
 party who submitted written comments   
under subsection 7d7 in response to the 
request 7or counsel for such interested 
party7 to appear before the ,commission 
to present testimony in response to the 
request4  4  7#b7 ,effective date ,the  
amendment made by paragraph 7#a7 shall  
apply with respect to requests for      
advisory opinions under section #cjh of 
the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act of
 #aiga which are made on or after the   
date of the enactment of this ,act4  7c7
 ,clarification of ,deadline for ,filing
 ,action ,to ,challenge ,dismissal of   
,complaint  7#a7 ,deadline ,section     
#cji7;a77#h77;,b7 of such ,act 7#eb     
,u4,s4,c4 #cjaji7;a77#h77;,b77 is       
amended by striking within #fj days     

after the date of the dismissal and     
inserting within #fj days after the date
 on which the party received notice of  
the dismissal of the complaint4  7#b7   
,effective date ,the amendment made by  
paragraph 7#a7 shall apply with respect 
to complaints which are dismissed by the
 ,federal ,election ,commission on or   
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4  #e4 ,effective date2 transition  
7a7 ,in ,general ,except as provided in 
section #d1 the amendments made by this 
,act shall apply beginning ,january #a1 
#bjbj4  7b7 ,transition  7#a7           
,termination of service of current      
members ,notwithstanding any provision  
of the ,federal ,election ,campaign ,act
 of #aiga1 the term of any individual   
serving as a member of the ,federal     
,election ,commission as of ,december   
#ca1 #bjai1 shall expire on that date4  
7#b7 ,no effect on existing cases or    
proceedings ,nothing in this ,act or in 
any amendment made by this ,act shall   
affect any of the powers exercised by   

the ,federal ,election ,commission prior
 to ,december #ca1 #bjai1 including any 
investigation initiated by the          
,commission prior to such date or any   
proceeding 7including any enforcement   
action7 pending as of such date4