[20030519]RS21511_活动财务：McConnell v.FEC地区法院意见概述.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21511Updated May 19, 2003Campaign Finance: Brief Overview of DistrictCourt Opinion in McConnell v. FECname redactedLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryOn March 27, 2002, the President signed into law the Bipartisan Campaign ReformAct of 2002 (BCRA), P.L. 107-155 (H.R. 2356, 107th Cong.), which was also known asthe McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation prior to enactment. Mostprovisions of the new law became effective on November 6, 2002. Shortly afterPresident Bush signed BCRA into law, Senator Mitch McConnell filed suit in U.S.District Court for the District of Columbia against the Federal Election Commission(FEC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Ultimately, eleven suitschallenging the campaign finance reform law were brought by more than 80 plaintiffsand were consolidated into one lead case, McConnell v. FEC. In summary, theMcConnell complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief argued that portions of BCRAviolate the First Amendment and the equal protection component of the Due ProcessClause of the Fifth Amendment to th