ABC June 15 opposed the Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act (H.R. 5175) because it would adversely impact the first amendment rights of businesses and trade associations, while allowing unions to retain their influence in the political process.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in response to a Jan. 21 court decision that restored free speech rights to businesses and trade associations by allowing them to engage in independent expenditures and electioneering communications in connection with federal elections.
Included in the DISCLOSE Act is a ban on certain campaign-related activities by businesses with government contracts, although it imposes no similar restrictions on labor unions that receive federal grants or negotiate collective bargaining agreements with the government. The bill also requires businesses and trade associations that engage in campaign-related activity to comply with new Federal Election Commission reporting requirements, including disclosing donors who give $600 or more – a requirement that wouldn’t affect most labor unions since dues are generally under that threshold.
“ABC believes the DISCLOSE Act is a direct attack on businesses and trade associations, threatening to silence their voice in the nation’s political process,”
ABC stated in a letter sent to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In addition, the DISCLOSE Act proposes mandatory disclosures for television and radio advertisements where the highest ranking official of an organization would have to appear in the ad and state that he or she “approves this message.” These mandatory disclosures could consume 13 or more seconds of airtime in a 30-second commercial.
For more information, contact Brewster Bevis at ABC,
bevis@abc.org.