[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7101-7103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02627]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
[Notice 2016-01]
Price Index Adjustments for Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist
Bundling Disclosure Threshold
AGENCY: Federal Election Commission.
ACTION: Notice of adjustments to expenditure limitations and lobbyist
bundling disclosure threshold.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act
(``the Act''), the Federal Election Commission (``the Commission'') is
adjusting certain expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling
disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for
inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information
that follows.
DATES: Effective date: January 1, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elizabeth S. Kurland, Information
Division, 999 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20463; (202) 694-1100 or
(800) 424-9530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, 52
U.S.C. 30101-46, coordinated party expenditure limits (52 U.S.C.
30116(d)(2)-(3)) and the disclosure threshold for contributions bundled
by lobbyists (52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(A)) are adjusted periodically to
reflect changes in the consumer price index. See 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3),
30116(c)(1); 11 CFR 109.32, 110.17(a), (f). The Commission is
publishing this notice to announce the adjusted limits and disclosure
threshold for 2016.
Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2016
Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the
expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(d) (the limits
on expenditures by national party committees, state party committees,
or their subordinate committees in connection with the general election
campaign of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for
inflation. This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent
difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by
the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of
the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar
year 1974). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c).
1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With
More Than One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure
limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House
of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district.
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the
District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the
office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.\1\ Id. The formula used to
calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories
multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price
index (4.80703), rounding to the nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C.
30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this
formula, the expenditure limitation for 2016 general elections for
House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is
$48,100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Currently, these are the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin
Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. See http://www.house.gov/representatives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 7102]]
2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives
in States With Only One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure
limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or
in the House of Representatives in states with only one congressional
district. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate
this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also
the voting age population (``VAP'') of the state. Id. The VAP figures
used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the
U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in
the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18.
The general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: The base
figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index,
4.80703 (which totals $96,100); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the
state, multiplied by 4.80703. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100.
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. The
chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2016 general
election expenditure limitation for Senate elections. The expenditure
limitation for 2016 House elections in states with only one
congressional district \2\ is $96,100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/representatives/.
Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits--2016 Elections
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate expenditure
Voting age VAP x .02 x the limit (the greater
State population price index of the amount in
(VAP) (4.80703) column 3 or $96,100)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama................................................... 3,755,483 $361,100 $361,100
Alaska.................................................... 552,166 53,100 96,100
Arizona................................................... 5,205,215 500,400 500,400
Arkansas.................................................. 2,272,904 218,500 218,500
California................................................ 30,023,902 2,886,500 2,886,500
Colorado.................................................. 4,199,509 403,700 403,700
Connecticut............................................... 2,826,827 271,800 271,800
Delaware.................................................. 741,548 71,300 96,100
Florida................................................... 16,166,143 1,554,200 1,554,200
Georgia................................................... 7,710,688 741,300 741,300
Hawaii.................................................... 1,120,770 107,800 107,800
Idaho..................................................... 1,222,093 117,500 117,500
Illinois.................................................. 9,901,322 951,900 951,900
Indiana................................................... 5,040,224 484,600 484,600
Iowa...................................................... 2,395,103 230,300 230,300
Kansas.................................................... 2,192,084 210,700 210,700
Kentucky.................................................. 3,413,425 328,200 328,200
Louisiana................................................. 3,555,911 341,900 341,900
Maine..................................................... 1,072,948 103,200 103,200
Maryland.................................................. 4,658,175 447,800 447,800
Massachusetts............................................. 5,407,335 519,900 519,900
Michigan.................................................. 7,715,272 741,800 741,800
Minnesota................................................. 4,205,207 404,300 404,300
Mississippi............................................... 2,265,485 217,800 217,800
Missouri.................................................. 4,692,196 451,100 451,100
Montana................................................... 806,529 77,500 96,100
Nebraska.................................................. 1,425,853 137,100 137,100
Nevada.................................................... 2,221,681 213,600 213,600
New Hampshire............................................. 1,066,610 102,500 102,500
New Jersey................................................ 6,959,192 669,100 669,100
New Mexico................................................ 1,588,201 152,700 152,700
New York.................................................. 15,584,974 1,498,300 1,498,300
North Carolina............................................ 7,752,234 745,300 745,300
North Dakota.............................................. 583,001 56,100 96,100
Ohio...................................................... 8,984,946 863,800 863,800
Oklahoma.................................................. 2,950,017 283,600 283,600
Oregon.................................................... 3,166,121 304,400 304,400
Pennsylvania.............................................. 10,112,229 972,200 972,200
Rhode Island.............................................. 845,254 81,300 96,100
South Carolina............................................ 3,804,558 365,800 365,800
South Dakota.............................................. 647,145 62,200 96,100
Tennessee................................................. 5,102,688 490,600 490,600
Texas..................................................... 20,257,343 1,947,600 1,947,600
Utah...................................................... 2,083,423 200,300 200,300
Vermont................................................... 506,119 48,700 96,100
Virginia.................................................. 6,512,571 626,100 626,100
Washington................................................ 5,558,509 534,400 534,400
West Virginia............................................. 1,464,532 140,800 140,800
Wisconsin................................................. 4,476,711 430,400 430,400
Wyoming................................................... 447,212 43,000 96,100
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 7103]]
3. Expenditure Limitation for President
The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for
their general election nominee for President. 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2).
The formula used to calculate the Presidential expenditure limitation
considers not only the price index but also the total VAP of the United
States. The VAP figure used to calculate the expenditure limitation was
certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Department of Commerce
also publishes the total VAP of the United States annually. 11 CFR
110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is
$0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (247,773,709),
multiplied by the price index, 4.80703. Amounts are rounded to the
nearest $100. See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(2) and 11 CFR 109.32(a). Based
upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2016 Presidential
nominees is $23,821,100.
Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate
Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate
Candidates and National Party Committees for the 2015-2016 Election
Cycle
For the convenience of the readers, the Commission is also
republishing the contribution limitations for individuals, non-
multicandidate committees and for certain political party committees
giving to U.S. Senate candidates and national party committees for the
2015-2016 election cycle:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statutory 2015-2016
Statutory provision amount limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A)........................ $2,000 $2,700
52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B)........................ 25,000 33,400
52 U.S.C. 30116(h).............................. 35,000 46,800
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2016
The Act requires certain political committees to disclose
contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and lobbyist/registrant
political action committees once the contributions exceed a specified
threshold amount. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (3)(A). The Commission must
adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. The
disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory
disclosure threshold by 1.17569, the difference between the price
index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for
the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the
price index for the base period (calendar year 2006). The resulting
amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. See 52 U.S.C.
30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). Based upon this formula
($15,000 x 1.17569), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for
calendar year 2016 is $17,600, unchanged from 2015.
On behalf of the Commission.
Dated: February 3, 2016.
Matthew S. Petersen,
Chairman, Federal Election Commission.
[FR Doc. 2016-02627 Filed 2-9-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6715-01-P