Skip to main content
S 1389 104th Congress Senate Government Operations and Politics Administrative procedure Auditing Cable television Campaign contributors Campaign funds Congress Congressional candidates Congressional elections Congressional elections (Senate) Constitutional law Economics and Public Finance Federal Election Commission Finance and Financial Sector Government paperwork Indexing (Economic policy) Judicial review Law Licenses Loans

Senate Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1995

Introduced: November 3, 1995 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 9 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 15, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
May 8, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
Apr 17, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
Mar 27, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
Mar 13, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
Feb 1, 1996
Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.
Nov 3, 1995
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules.
Nov 3, 1995
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S16657-16659)
Nov 3, 1995
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Senate Election Spending Limits and Benefits

Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions

Senate Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1995 - Title I: Senate Election Spending Limits and Benefits - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to set forth Senate election voluntary spending limits and benefits, including primary and runoff expenditure limits and primary and general election filing requirements. Sets limits on the use of personal funds and general election expenditures. Entitles complying candidates to specified broadcast discounts and free time and postage reductions.

Directs the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to certify each candidate's eligibility for free broadcast time under the Communications Act of 1934 within 48 hours after a candidate qualifies for a general election ballot. Sets forth provisions regarding FEC determinations, excess payments and revocation of status, and civil penalties for misuse of benefits.

(Sec. 103) Amends the Communications Act to: (1) provide for preemption only in situations beyond a station's control; and (2) extend the license revocation provision for failure to provide access to cable systems.

Title II: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends FECA to require a candidate, after qualifying for the primary, to declare if he or she intends to spend more than $250,000 of his or her own funds (i.e., personal funds, funds of the candidate's immediate family, and personal loans incurred by the candidate and the candidate's family in connection with the election campaign) in the election and if so, raises the contribution limits on his or her opponent from $1,000 to $5,000. Removes his or her opponents' contribution limit entirely if a candidate declares that he or she will spend more than $1 million of his or her own funds.

(Sec. 202) Prohibits the personal use of campaign funds.

(Sec. 203) Sets forth political advertising provisions for print broadcast or cablecast communications.

What's happening now May 15, 1996

Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-542.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1389: Senate Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1995. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1389/
MLA
"S. 1389: Senate Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1995." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1389/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1389, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1389/.
Markdown link
[S. 1389: Senate Campaign Spending Limit and Election Reform Act of 1995](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1389/)
Report a problem