Comment Sought on Proposed Public Funding Rule

For Immediate Release:                                                                                             Contact:   Ron Harris
December 17, 1998                                                                                                                       Sharon Snyder
                                                                                                                                                        Ian Stirton
                                                                                                                                                        Kelly Huff


 


COMMENTS SOUGHT ON PROPOSED PUBLIC FUNDING RULE


WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission is requesting public comments on
proposed changes to its rules governing publicly financed Presidential primary and general
election candidates.

These regulations implement the provisions of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Act and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act, which establish eligibility
requirements for Presidential candidates seeking public financing, and indicate how funds
received under the public financing system may be spent. They also require the Commission
to audit publicly financed campaigns and seek repayment where appropriate.

On December 12, 1998, the Commission approved on a 6-0 vote a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPR) that would address many of the sections in the current regulations,
including:

blockquote
  blockquote
    blockquote
      
Coordination between publicly funded Presidential candidates and their political
      parties;
      
"bright line" distinction between primary and general election expenses;
      
winding down costs
      
compliance and fundraising costs;
      
modifying the audit and repayment processes;
      
statutory authority to order repayments of matching funds based on violations of the
      primary spending limits;
      
capital assets;
      
transportation and services provided to the media;
      
matching-fund and disbursement documentation;
      
pre-nomination Vice Presidential committees;
      
nominating conventions and host committees.
    <lockquote>
  <lockquote>
<lockquote>

Complete text within these topics and others in the proposed rulemaking was published
in the Federal Register on December 16,
1998. 

No final decisions have been reached by the Commission on any of the proposed
revisions in the proposed rulemaking.


Comments should be addressed to Ms. Susan E. Propper, Assistant General Counsel,
Federal Election Commission, 999 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20463, and must be submitted in
either written or electronic form. Faxed comments should be sent to (202) 219-3923, with
printed copy follow-up. Electronic mail comments should be sent to publicfund@fec.gov,
and should include the full name and postal service address within the text of the
comments.

Comments must be received on or before January 29, 1999.

# # #