08-695. Price Index Increases for Expenditure Limitations

AGENCY:

Federal Election Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of expenditure limitation increases.

SUMMARY:

As mandated by provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”), the Federal Election Commission (“FEC” or “the Commission”) is adjusting certain expenditure limitations set forth in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (“FECA” or “the Act”), to account for increases in the consumer price index. Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.

Effective Date:

January 1, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Kevin R. Salley, Information Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; [phone] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, 2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., as amended by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 ^[1] , coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(2), (3)(A) and (B)) are adjusted annually by the increase in the consumer price index. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1), 11 CFR 109.32 and 11 CFR 110.17. The Commission is publishing this notice to announce these limits for 2008.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2008

Under 2 U.S.C. 441a(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 2 U.S.C. 441a(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).

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. This limitation also applies to those States that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident Commissioner.^[2] The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such States multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the price index (4.205), rounding to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3)(B) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2008 general elections for House candidates in these States is $42,100.

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. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state. The VAP of each state is published annually in the Federal Register by the Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: the base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the price index (which totals $84,100); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by the price index. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3)(A) and 11 CFR 109.32(b). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2008 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure limit for 2008 House elections in states with only one congressional district ^[3] is $84,100.

Senate General Election Expenditure Limitations—2008 Elections

State	VAP (in thousands)	VAP × .02 × the price index (4.205)	Senate expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $84,100)
Alabama	3,504	$294,700	$294,700
Alaska	501	42,100	84,100
Arizona	4,669	392,700	392,700
Arkansas	2,134	179,500	179,500
California	27,169	2,284,900	2,284,900
Colorado	3,669	308,600	308,600
Connecticut	2,682	225,600	225,600
Delaware	659	55,400	84,100
Florida	14,208	1,194,900	1,194,900
Georgia	7,013	589,800	589,800
Hawaii	998	83,900	84,100
Idaho	1,092	91,800	91,800
Illinois	9,653	811,800	811,800
Indiana	4,759	400,200	400,200
Iowa	2,277	191,500	191,500
Kansas	2,080	174,900	174,900
Kentucky	3,238	272,300	272,300
Louisiana	3,214	270,300	270,300
Maine	1,038	87,300	87,300
Maryland	4,260	358,300	358,300
Massachusetts	5,017	421,900	421,900
Michigan	7,625	641,300	641,300
Minnesota	3,937	331,100	331,100
Mississippi	2,150	180,800	180,800
Missouri	4,454	374,600	374,600
Montana	738	62,100	84,100
Nebraska	1,328	111,700	111,700
Nevada	1,905	160,200	160,200
New Hampshire	1,018	85,600	85,600
New Jersey	6,622	556,900	556,900
New Mexico	1,470	123,600	123,600
New York	14,884	1,251,700	1,251,700
North Carolina	6,843	575,500	575,500
North Dakota	497	41,800	84,100
Ohio	8,715	732,900	732,900
Oklahoma	2,718	228,600	228,600
Oregon	2,885	242,600	242,600
Pennsylvania	9,646	811,200	811,200
Rhode Island	825	69,400	84,100
South Carolina	3,348	281,600	281,600
South Dakota	599	50,400	84,100
Tennessee	4,685	394,000	394,000
Texas	17,281	1,453,300	1,453,300
Utah	1,829	153,800	153,800
Vermont	490	41,200	84,100
Virginia	5,886	495,000	495,000
Washington	4,932	414,800	414,800
West Virginia	1,425	119,800	119,800
Wisconsin	4,280	359,900	359,900
Wyoming	397	33,400	84,100

3. Expenditure Limitation for President

The national party committees have an expenditure limitation for their general election nominee for President. 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 Department of Commerce also publishes the total VAP of the United States annually in the Federal Register. 11 CFR 110.18. The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation is $0.02 multiplied by the total VAP of the United States (227,719,424), multiplied by the price index. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(2) and 11 CFR 109.32(a). Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2008 Presidential nominees is $19,151,200.

Contribution Limitations for Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and for Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2007-2008 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 for the 2007-2008 election cycle:

Statutory provision	Statutory amount	2007-2008 limitation
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A)	$2,000	$2,300.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(B)	$25,000	$28,500.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(A)	$37,500	$42,700.
2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(3)(B)	$57,500 (of which no more than $37,500 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties)	$65,500 (of which no more than $42,700 may be attributable to contributions to political committees that are not political committees of national political parties).
2 U.S.C. 441a(h)	$35,000	$39,900.

Dated: February 7, 2008.

David M. Mason,

Chairman, Federal Election Commission.

Footnotes

1.  Public Law No. 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (Mar. 27, 2002).

2.  Currently, these States include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. See http://www.house.gov/​house/​MemberWWW_​by_​State.shtml and http://about.dc.gov/​statehood.asp.

3.  Currently, these states are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. See http://www.house.gov/​house/​MemberWWW_​by_​State.shtml.