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Explanations and Justifications for FEC regulations (E&Js)

Explanations and Justifications (E&Js) provide supplemental information concerning Commission rules. This compilation includes information on regulations promulgated between 1975 and the present.

About the compilation

Scope

This resource compiles all E&Js written to accompany FEC regulations and includes several indexes to help users identify and locate particular E&Js. The E&Js are congressional documents and Federal Register notices. Also included in the E&J compilation are Federal Register notices containing supplemental information on technical amendments to FEC regulations or Statements of Basis and Purpose for non-FECA regulations, along with relevant dates. These notices and Congressional Reports were issued between 1975 and the present.

The Commission writes an E&J whenever it submits to Congress a new regulation or amends an old one. In those cases where a regulation has been amended, earlier E&Js for that regulation remain valid, unless the revision represents a reversal in Commission policy. Thus, for a regulation that has been modified more than once, several E&Js will be pertinent.

Regulations

The regulations themselves are generally not included. In cases, however, where a regulation was never put into effect, and thus never published – because of withdrawal by the FEC, suspension due to a Supreme Court decision or disapproval by Congress – the regulation is included. It follows the appropriate E&J. Texts of regulations that were once or are currently in effect are available in editions of 11 CFR.

Effective date

The effective date for each E&J may be found in the chronological index. If the regulations were disapproved or delayed due to legislative review, dates for these actions are also given.

Using the compilation

Chronological index

The chronological index lists the Federal Register Notices chronologically by the date of transmittal to Congress or publication in the Federal Register. To locate a particular E&J for a regulation, simply look up the title of the E&J and click the Link/Notice# listed.

Citation index

The citation index lists numerically, then chronologically, all regulations that have a written E&J.

For each regulation listed, the index provides the subject and the year the rule took effect. Be aware that a citation may cover different subjects over the years. The conversion tables trace the periodic reorganization and renumbering of regulations. The Appendix lists previous citations for any current regulation that has been renumbered. Users of this compilation are referred to the Appendix by an asterisk next to the subject category in this index. If the E&J simply explains an amendment to the regulation, but not a change in Commission policy or citation, only the year is given for the E&J. To locate a particular E&J for a regulation, simply look up the citation, then match up the subject and year, and click the Year/Link listed.

Conversion tables: past-to-current citations

The conversion tables show previously different citations for current regulations. If a current regulation was previously given at another citation, the old citation(s) will be listed.