HR 5699
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5699
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to protect uncompensated
Internet activity by individuals from treatment as a contribution or expenditure
under the Act, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 3, 2008
Mr. HENSARLING (for himself, Mr. AKIN, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr.
BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BRADY of Texas,
Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. CAMPBELL of California, Mr. CANNON, Mr. CANTOR,
Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. FORTUN.AE6O,
Ms. FOXX, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GINGREY, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota,
Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCCARTHY of California, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mr.
NEUGEBAUER, Mr. PAUL, Mr. PENCE, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr.
SHADEGG, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. WALBERG, and Mr. WILSON of South Carolina) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration
A BILL
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to protect uncompensated
Internet activity by individuals from treatment as a contribution or expenditure
under the Act, and for other purposes.
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 `Blogger Protection Act of 2008'.
SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF UNCOMPENSATED INDIVIDUAL INTERNET ACTIVITY FROM TREATMENT
AS CONTRIBUTION OR EXPENDITURE.
(1) EXEMPTION FROM TREATMENT AS CONTRIBUTION- Section 301(8)(B) of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(8)(B)) is amended--
(A) by striking `and' at the end of clause (xiii);
(B) by striking the period at the end of clause (xiv) and inserting `;
and'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
`(xv) any uncompensated personal services related to Internet activities,
or use of equipment or services for uncompensated Internet activities, that
are engaged in by any individual, group of individuals, or corporation wholly
owned by one or more individuals that engages primarily in Internet activities
and does not derive a substantial portion of its revenue from sources other
than income from its Internet activities, other than--
`(I) any payment for a public communication (other than a nominal fee),
`(II) any payment for the purchase or rental of an email address list
made at the direction of a political committee, or
`(III) any payment for an email address list that is transferred to a
political committee.'.
(2) EXEMPTION FROM TREATMENT AS EXPENDITURE- Section 301(9)(B) of such Act
(2 U.S.C. 431(9)(B)) is amended--
(A) by striking `and' at the end of clause (ix);
(B) by striking the period at the end of clause (x) and inserting `; and';
and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
`(xi) any uncompensated personal services related to Internet activities,
or use of equipment or services for uncompensated Internet activities, that
are engaged in by any individual, group of individuals, or corporation wholly
owned by one or more individuals that engages primarily in Internet activities
and does not derive a substantial portion of its revenue from sources other
than income from its Internet activities, other than--
`(I) any payment for a public communication (other than a nominal fee),
`(II) any payment for the purchase or rental of an email address list
made at the direction of a political committee, or
`(III) any payment for an email address list that is transferred to a
political committee.'.
(b) Internet Activity Defined- Section 301 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 431) is amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
`(27) Internet Activity- The term `Internet activity' includes sending or
forwarding electronic messages, providing a hyperlink or other direct access
to another person's Web site, blogging, creating, maintaining, or hosting
a Web site, paying a nominal fee for the use of another person's Web site,
and any other form of communication distributed over the Internet.'.
SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF BLOGS AND OTHER INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS
UNDER GENERAL MEDIA EXEMPTION.
Section 301(9)(B)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
431(9)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting `including any Internet or electronic
publication (including a blog),' after `periodical publication,'.
END
