MCG10062 S.L.C.
111TH CONGRESS
2DSESSION
S. J. RES. 28
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mr. DODD introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission by the Congress:
 
MCG10062 S.L.C.
‘‘ARTICLE— 
‘‘SECTION1. Congress shall have power to regulate the raising and spending of money with respect to Federal elections, including through setting limits on

‘‘(1) the amount of contributions to candidates for nomination for election to, or for election to, Federal office; and
‘‘(2) the amount of expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to such candidates.
‘‘SECTION2. A State shall have power to regulate the raising and spending of money with respect to State elections, including through setting limits on
‘‘(1) the amount of contributions to candidates for nomination for election to, or for election to, State office; and
‘‘(2) the amount of expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to such candidates.
‘‘SECTION3. Congress shall have power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation.’’.

Dodd Unveils Bill to Reverse Citizens United Decision
By Matthew Murray, Roll Call

Senate Democrats fired off their first legislative response Wednesday to a recent Supreme Court decision overruling restrictions on outside political spending.

The proposal introduced by Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) would grant lawmakers the sole constitutional right to set federal campaign finance standards.

In January, the high court narrowly tossed out a decades-old ban on television ad buys and other independent expenditures by corporations, unions and nonprofit organizations in the weeks before primaries and general elections.

While conservatives applauded the 5-4 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision as a victory for free speech, many Democratic lawmakers predicted the ruling would flood the political system with cash from trade groups and organized labor.

“I am a firm believer in the sanctity of the first amendment, and I believe we must continue to do all we can to protect the free speech rights of the American people,” Dodd said in a statement. “But I strongly disagree with the Supreme Court’s conclusion that money is speech, and that corporations should be treated the same as individual Americans when it comes to protected, fundamental speech rights.”

Dodd’s office on Wednesday released only vague details about the proposal, which would “authorize Congress to regulate the raising and spending of money for federal political campaigns, including independent expenditures, and allow states to regulate such spending at their level.”

Dodd’s legislation also undoubtedly faces an uphill battle in persuading not only a majority of his House and Senate colleagues to change the Constitution, but three-quarters of the nation’s state legislatures as well.