HR 2027 IH
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2027
To require that candidates who receive campaign financing from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund agree not to participate in multicandidate forums that exclude candidates who have broad-based public support.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 7, 1999
Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration
A BILL
To require that candidates who receive campaign financing from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund agree not to participate in multicandidate forums that exclude candidates who have broad-based public support.
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 `Open Debate Act of 1999'.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT CANDIDATES WHO RECEIVE CAMPAIGN FINANCING FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN FUND AGREE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTICANDIDATE FORUMS THAT EXCLUDE CANDIDATES WITH BROAD-BASED PUBLIC SUPPORT.
(a) IN GENERAL- In addition to the requirements under subtitle H of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, in order to be eligible to receive payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, a candidate shall agree in writing not to appear in any multicandidate forum with respect to the election involved unless the following individuals are invited to participate in the multicandidate forum:
(1) Each other eligible candidate under such subtitle.
(2) Each individual who is qualified in at least 40 States for the ballot for the office involved.
(b) ENFORCEMENT- If the Federal Election Commission determines that a candidate--
(1) has received payments from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund; and
(2) has violated the agreement referred to in subsection (a);
the candidate shall pay to the Treasury an amount equal to the amount of the payments so made.
(c) DEFINITION- As used in this Act, the term `multicandidate forum' means a meeting--
(1) consisting of a moderated reciprocal discussion of issues among candidates for the same office; and
(2) to which any other person has access in person or through an electronic medium.
END