FEC to Hold Public Hearing on Proposed Rules on Independent Expenditures and Electioneering Communications By Corporations and Labor Organizations

WASHINGTON – On March 7, 2012, the Federal Election Commission will hold a public hearing on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposed changes to its rules on corporation and labor organization funding of expenditures, independent expenditures and electioneering communications. The proposed changes are in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the James Madison Center for Free Speech, urging the Commission to amend its regulations in response to the decision of the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC.

Five witnesses are scheduled to appear. They are:

Jan Baran (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

James Bopp, Jr. (James Madison Center for Free Speech)

Laurence Gold (AFL-CIO)

Allison Hayward (Center for Competitive Politics)

Michael Trister (Alliance for Justice Action Campaign)

The March 7, 2012 hearing will take place at the Commission’s offices at 999 E Street N.W. in Washington, and will begin at 10 AM.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The FEC has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. Established in 1975, the FEC is composed of six Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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