Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3485 (Thomas), S. 25 (McCain-Feingold), and Current Law Page: 1 of 6
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98-287 GOV
Updated March 30, 1998
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th
Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3485 (Thomas),
S. 25 (McCain-Feingold), and Current Law
Joseph E. Cantor
Specialist in American National Government
Government Division
Summary
The House plans to consider campaign reform legislation-H.R. 3485
(Thomas)-reported by the House Oversight Committee on March 18, 1998. A
proposed amendment, to be offered by Mr. Thomas on March 30, would add restrictions
on state party soft money spending and drop coverage of non-profit groups from the
prohibition on involuntary use of funds for political purposes. The bill that has generated
the most publicity in the 105th Congress is S. 25 (McCain-Feingold), as revised
September 29, 1997,1 introduced in the House as H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan). This
report summarizes and compares H.R. 3485 with amendment, S. 25 as revised (H.R.
3526), and current law.
Table 1. Comparison of H.R. 3485, S. 25, and Current Law
Current law H.R. 3485 (Thomas), S. 25 (McCain-Feingold)/
with amendment H.R. 3526 (Shays-Meehan)
SOURCES OF FUNDS
PACs
No provision Protects confidentiality of No provision
small donors or decliners to
union or corporate PAC
solicitations
Cloture votes on S. 25 failed in the Senate on October 7, 8, and 9, 1997. In February 1998, the
bill was offered as a floor amendment to S. 1663 (Lott) and further modified by the Snowe-Jeffords
amendment; a cloture vote on this new version of the McCain-Feingold bill failed in the Senate
February 26, 1998. This report is based on the current version of S. 25, not the modified floor
amendment of February, and the identical H.R. 3526.
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Cantor, Joseph E. Campaign Finance Reform Bills in the 105th Congress: Comparison of H.R. 3485 (Thomas), S. 25 (McCain-Feingold), and Current Law, report, March 30, 1998; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc806767/m1/1/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.