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Shown Here: Introduced in House (04/03/2008)
110th CONGRESS 2d Session
H. R. 5699
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
protect uncompensated Internet activity by individuals from treatment as a
contribution or expenditure under the Act, and for other
purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 3, 2008
Mr. Hensarling (for
himself, Mr. Akin,
Mr. Barrett of South Carolina,
Mr. Bartlett of Maryland,
Mr. Bishop of Utah,
Mrs. Blackburn,
Mr. Brady of Texas,
Mr. Broun of Georgia,
Mr. Campbell of California,
Mr. Cannon,
Mr. Cantor,
Mr. David Davis of Tennessee,
Ms. Fallin,
Mr. Feeney,
Mr. Flake,
Mr. Fortuño,
Ms. Foxx, Mr. Franks of Arizona,
Mr. Gingrey,
Mr. Hoekstra,
Mr. Kline of Minnesota,
Mr. Lamborn,
Mr. Marchant,
Mr. McCarthy of California,
Mrs. Musgrave,
Mr. Neugebauer,
Mr. Paul, Mr. Pence, Mr. Ryan
of Wisconsin, Mr.
Sessions, Mr. Shadegg,
Mr. Tancredo,
Mr. Walberg, and
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House
Administration
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to
protect uncompensated Internet activity by individuals from treatment as a
contribution or expenditure under the Act, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1.Short Title.
This Act may be cited as the “Blogger
Protection Act of 2008”.
SEC. 2. Exemption of
Uncompensated Individual Internet Activity From Treatment as Contribution or
Expenditure.
(a) Exemptions.—
(1) EXEMPTION FROM
TREATMENT AS CONTRIBUTION.—Section 301(8)(B) of the Federal Election
Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(B)) is amended—
(A) by striking
“and” at the end of clause (xiii);
(B) by striking the
period at the end of clause (xiv) and inserting “; and”;
and
(C) by adding at the
end the following new clause:
“(xv) any uncompensated personal services
related to Internet activities, or use of equipment or services for
uncompensated Internet activities, that are engaged in by any individual, group
of individuals, or corporation wholly owned by one or more individuals that
engages primarily in Internet activities and does not derive a substantial
portion of its revenue from sources other than income from its Internet
activities, other than—
“(I) any payment for a public
communication (other than a nominal fee),
“(II) any payment for the purchase or
rental of an email address list made at the direction of a political committee,
or
“(III) any payment for an email address
list that is transferred to a political
committee.”.
(2) EXEMPTION FROM
TREATMENT AS EXPENDITURE.—Section 301(9)(B) of such Act (2 U.S.C.
431(9)(B)) is amended—
(A) by striking
“and” at the end of clause (ix);
(B) by striking the
period at the end of clause (x) and inserting “; and”; and
(C) by adding at the
end the following new clause:
“(xi) any uncompensated personal services related
to Internet activities, or use of equipment or services for uncompensated
Internet activities, that are engaged in by any individual, group of
individuals, or corporation wholly owned by one or more individuals that
engages primarily in Internet activities and does not derive a substantial
portion of its revenue from sources other than income from its Internet
activities, other than—
“(I) any payment for a public
communication (other than a nominal fee),
“(II) any payment for the purchase or
rental of an email address list made at the direction of a political committee,
or
“(III) any payment for an email address
list that is transferred to a political
committee.”.
(b) Internet
Activity Defined.—Section 301 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431) is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(27) Internet
activity.—The term ‘Internet activity’ includes sending
or forwarding electronic messages, providing a hyperlink or other direct access
to another person’s Web site, blogging, creating, maintaining, or hosting a Web
site, paying a nominal fee for the use of another person’s Web site, and any
other form of communication distributed over the Internet.”.
SEC. 3. Coverage of Blogs
and Other Internet and Electronic Publications Under General Media
Exemption.
Section 301(9)(B)(i)
of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(9)(B)(i)) is amended
by inserting “including any Internet or electronic publication (including
a blog),” after “periodical publication,”.