Federal Election Commission Fines Authorization Extension

Floor Speech

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION FINES AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION

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Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I fully support H.R. 6296, which will extend the Federal Election Commission's administrative fines programs through 2013.

The administrative fines program permits the FEC to impose civil fines on political committees that file late or not at all. The fines program allows the FEC to quickly resolve minor violations of the act and concentrate its resources on more complex enforcement matters. The fines program also assures political and candidate committees that they can resolve minor errors by paying a fixed monetary penalty, avoiding a long and potentially complicated enforcement process.

There has been a significant decrease in the number of late and nonfiled reports since the start of this program. At the FEC the fines program also enjoys the unanimous bipartisan support of all of the commissioners. The fines program is due to expire at the end of this year without congressional intervention. The program should be extended to allow the agency to concentrate on more complex issues once it has a full slate of members.

H.R. 6296 will amend the Federal Election Campaign Act to extend the fines program until December 13, 2013. I urge all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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