E6-4052. Price Index Increases for Coordinated Party Expenditure Limitations

AGENCY:

Federal Election Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of coordinated party expenditure limit increases.

SUMMARY:

As mandated by provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (“BCRA”), the Federal Election Commission (“the Commission”) is adjusting the coordinated party expenditure limits set forth in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended, to account for increases in the consumer price index.

Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.

DATES:

Effective Date: The effective date for the limits is January 1, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Gregory J. Scott, Information Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; Telephone: [phone]; Toll Free [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, Public Law 107-155, 116 Stat. 81 (March 27, 2002), coordinated party expenditure limits (2 U.S.C. 441a(d)(3)(A) and (B)) are adjusted annually by the consumer price index. See 2 U.S.C. 441a(c)(1). The Commission is publishing this notice to announce the limits for 2006.

Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2006

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

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. The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in a state with more than one congressional district multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the price index (3.961), rounding to the nearest $100. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2006 House elections in those states is $39,600. The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in a state with only one congressional district multiplies the base figure of $20,000 by the price index (3.961), rounding to the nearest $100. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2006 House elections in these states is $79,200.

2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate

Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate. The formula used to calculate the Senate expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state. The expenditure limitation is the greater of: the base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the price index (which totals $79,200); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by the price index. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2006 expenditure limitations for Senate elections.

Senate Expenditure Limitations.—2006 Elections

State	VAP (in thousands)	VAP × .02 multiplied by the price index (3.961)	Expenditure limit (the greater of the amount in column 3 or $79,200)
Alabama	3,468	$274,700	$274,700
Alaska	475	37,600	79,200
Arizona	4,359	345,300	345,300
Arkansas	2,104	166,700	166,700
California	26,430	2,093,800	2,093,800
Colorado	3,485	276,100	276,100
Connecticut	2,675	211,900	211,900
Delaware	648	51,300	79,200
Florida	13,722	1,087,100	1,087,100
Georgia	6,710	531,600	531,600
Hawaii	975	77,200	79,200
Idaho	1,055	83,600	83,600
Illinois	9,522	754,300	754,300
Indiana	4,669	369,900	369,900
Iowa	2,296	181,900	181,900
Kansas	2,070	164,000	164,000
Kentucky	3,193	252,900	252,900
Louisiana	3,376	267,400	267,400
Maine	1,044	82,700	82,700
Maryland	4,197	332,500	332,500
Massachusetts	4,941	391,400	391,400
Michigan	7,597	601,800	601,800
Minnesota	3,903	309,200	309,200
Mississippi	2,173	172,100	172,100
Missouri	4,422	350,300	350,300
Montana	731	57,900	79,200
Nebraska	1,327	105,100	105,100
Nevada	1,794	142,100	142,100
New Hampshire	1,007	79,800	79,800
New Jersey	6,556	519,400	519,400
New Mexico	1,439	114,000	114,000
New York	14,709	1,165,200	1,165,200
North Carolina	6,542	518,300	518,300
North Dakota	500	39,600	79,200
Ohio	8,705	689,600	689,600
Oklahoma	2,695	213,500	213,500
Oregon	2,791	221,100	221,100
Pennsylvania	9,613	761,500	761,500
Rhode Island	831	65,800	79,200
South Carolina	3,228	255,700	255,700
South Dakota	588	46,600	79,200
Tennessee	4,572	362,200	362,200
Texas	16,534	1,309,800	1,309,800
Utah	1,727	136,800	136,800
Vermont	490	38,800	79,200
Virginia	5,743	455,000	455,000
Washington	4,803	380,500	380,500
West Virginia	1,434	113,600	113,600
Wisconsin	4,240	335,900	335,900
Wyoming	395	31,300	79,200

Dated: March 14, 2006.

Michael E. Toner,

Chairman, Federal Election Commission.