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H.R. 1705 105th Congress House

Campaigns in the Sunshine Act of 1997

Official title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require political parties to submit reports to the Federal Election Commission on expenditures of any fun… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require political parties to submit reports to the Federal Election Commission on expenditures of any funds used to influence an election for Federal office and to require reports to the Commission on any independent expenditures which mention a political party or a candidate for election for Federal office, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 22, 1997 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Campaign contributorsCampaign fundsCongressCongressional elections
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Government paperworkPolitical advertisingPolitical partiesPresidential electionsSoft money
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 22, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on House Oversight.
May 22, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1044)
May 22, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 22, 1997

Referred to the House Committee on House Oversight.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Campaigns in the Sunshine Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) to make applicable reporting requirements under FECA to any amount (soft money) expended by a political party for the purpose of influencing an election for Federal office. Requires that, in addition to any reports required to be filed by a principal campaign committee in accordance with FECA requirements, any person who first makes independent expenditures with respect to an election in an aggregate amount or value in excess of $1,000 after the deadline for filing a pre-election report shall file a report containing the information described under FECA at the time the person makes independent expenditures in such aggregate amount or value. Defines the term "independent expenditure" for the purposes of the reports requirement.

Redefines the requirement for every person (other than a political committee) to report any independent expenditure aggregating $1,000 or more during a specified period before any election to require that the report include the identification of each person who made a contribution to the person filing such report which was in excess of $200 and was made for the purpose of furthering an independent expenditure.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1705: Campaigns in the Sunshine Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1705/
MLA
"H.R. 1705: Campaigns in the Sunshine Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1705/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1705, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1705/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1705: Campaigns in the Sunshine Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1705/)
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