Help America Run Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1623) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to provide for the treatment of payments for child care and other personal use services as an authorized campaign expenditure, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1623
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Help America Run Act''.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Everyday Americans experience barriers to entry before they can consider running for office to serve their communities.
(2) Current law states that campaign funds cannot be spent on everyday expenses that would exist whether or not a candidate were running for office, like rent and food. While the law seems neutral, its actual effect is to privilege the independently wealthy who want to run, because given the demands of running for office, candidates who must work to pay for childcare or to afford health insurance are effectively being left out of the process, even if they have sufficient support to mount a viable campaign.
(3) Thus current practice favors those prospective candidates who do not need to rely on a regular paycheck to make ends meet. The consequence is that everyday Americans who have firsthand knowledge of the importance of stable childcare, a safety net, or great public schools are less likely to get a seat at the table. This governance by the few is antithetical to the democratic experiment, but most importantly, when lawmakers do not share the concerns of everyday Americans, their policies reflect that.
(4) These circumstances have contributed to a Congress that does not always reflect everyday Americans. The New York Times reported in 2019 that fewer than 5 percent of representatives cite blue-collar or service jobs in their biographies. A 2015 survey by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that the median net worth of lawmakers was just over $1 million in 2013, or 18 times the wealth of the typical American household.
(5) These circumstances have also contributed to a governing body that does not reflect the nation it serves. For instance, women are 51% of the American population. Yet even with a record number of women serving in the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, the Pew Research Center notes that more than three out of four Members of this Congress are male. The Center for American Women And Politics found that one third of women legislators surveyed had been actively discouraged from running for office, often by political professionals. This type of discouragement, combined with the prohibitions on using campaign funds for domestic needs like childcare, burdens that still fall disproportionately on American women, particularly disadvantages working mothers. These barriers may explain why only 10 women in history have given birth while serving in Congress, in spite of the prevalence of working parents in other professions. Yet working mothers and fathers are best positioned to create policy that reflects the lived experience of most Americans.
(6) Working mothers, those caring for their elderly parents, and young professionals who rely on their jobs for health insurance should have the freedom to run to serve the people of the United States. Their networks and net worth are simply not the best indicators of their strength as prospective public servants. In fact, helping ordinary Americans to run may create better policy for all Americans.
(c) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to ensure that all Americans who are otherwise qualified to serve this Nation are able to run for office, regardless of their economic status. By expanding permissible uses of campaign funds and providing modest assurance that testing a run for office will not cost one's livelihood, the Help America Run Act will facilitate the candidacy of representatives who more accurately reflect the experiences, challenges, and ideals of everyday Americans. SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF PAYMENTS FOR CHILD CARE AND OTHER PERSONAL USE SERVICES AS AUTHORIZED CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURE.
(a) Personal Use Services as Authorized Campaign Expenditure.--Section 313 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30114) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Treatment of Payments for Child Care and Other Personal Use Services as Authorized Campaign Expenditure.--
``(1) Authorized expenditures.--For purposes of subsection (a), the payment by an authorized committee of a candidate for any of the personal use services described in paragraph (3) shall be treated as an authorized expenditure if the services are necessary to enable the participation of the candidate in campaign-connected activities.
``(2) Limitations.--
``(A) Limit on total amount of payments.--The total amount of payments made by an authorized committee of a candidate for personal use services described in paragraph (3) may not exceed the limit which is applicable under any law, rule, or regulation on the amount of payments which may be made by the committee for the salary of the candidate (without regard to whether or not the committee makes payments to the candidate for that purpose).
``(B) Corresponding reduction in amount of salary paid to candidate.--To the extent that an authorized committee of a candidate makes payments for the salary of the candidate, any limit on the amount of such payments which is applicable under any law, rule, or regulation shall be reduced by the amount of any payments made to or on behalf of the candidate for personal use services described in paragraph (3), other than personal use services described in subparagraph (D) of such paragraph.
``(C) Exclusion of candidates who are officeholders.-- Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to an authorized committee of a candidate who is a holder of Federal office.
``(3) Personal use services described.--The personal use services described in this paragraph are as follows:
``(A) Child care services.
``(B) Elder care services.
``(C) Services similar to the services described in subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) which are provided on behalf of any dependent who is a qualifying relative under section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
``(D) Health insurance premiums.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
I rise in support of H.R. 1623. This measure is important. The Help America Run Act will amend the Federal Election Campaign Act with commonsense reforms to help everyday Americans run for office.
Current law does not directly address whether people who choose to run for office can use their campaign funds to cover the cost of childcare. This has led several individuals to have to appeal to the Federal Election Commission for evaluations on a case-by-case basis and creates a burden for candidates with school-aged children.
This bill addresses that barrier and other family-related barriers for candidates who have experiences like most everyday Americans.
The Help American Run Act makes running for office easier for working mothers and fathers who need sitters for their small kids. It would support established professionals caring for an aging parent and help cover children's health insurance on the campaign trail.
I know it would help moms like Katie Porter, the sponsor of this bill. She is championing this cause today as the very first single mother of young children ever to serve in the U.S. Congress.
These Americans caring for their kids and their parents intimately know the dread of opening those envelopes full of prescription drug bills. They know what it is like to weigh the risk of running for office to serve the Nation against the risk of losing their children's health insurance coverage.
It is precisely those everyday Americans that I want to see join us at the decisionmaking table. Those who have firsthand knowledge of what it means to have stable childcare, good schools, and secure healthcare are exactly the people I want making decisions on both sides of this aisle. It makes our country profoundly richer to have those with the diversity of economic experiences in these Chambers. I know that firsthand.
As the daughter of a truck driver and a cafeteria cook, I worked on the night shift at the Eastman Kodak plant in Palo Alto to get ready for college. Those experiences shaped me into the person and Member I am today, and I believe coming from a family like mine shouldn't disqualify you. In fact, it makes you a better policy maker who understands what our constituents are really facing.
The fact is that diversity of experience leads to better policy. In 2019, the New York Times reported that fewer than 5 percent of Representatives cite blue-collar or service jobs in their biographies.
A 2015 survey by the Center for Responsive Politics showed that the median net worth for lawmakers was just over $1 million in 2013, or 18 times the wealth of the typical American household. One could see how Americans feel Congress might be out of touch.
This bill is a step to building trust in Congress as by and for the people. The bill would help advance economic diversity and other types of diversity, too.
Even with the record number of women serving in the 116th Congress, only 1 in 4 Congresspeople are women. This isn't because women don't want to run.
The Center for American Women and Politics found that one-third of women legislators surveyed had been actively discouraged from running for office, often by political professionals. This type of discouragement, combined with the existing prohibitions on using campaign funds for domestic needs like childcare, burdens that still fall disproportionately on American women, particularly disadvantages working parents.
Running for office should not be limited to the wealthy or those who have no familial responsibilities. That is anathema to the democratic experiment, and it makes for bad policy.
This bill is a simple, cost-free, commonsense measure to make America's representatives look more like the everyday Americans we are here to represent. For that reason, I am proud to support it.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois.
I, too, rise in support of H.R. 1623, the Help America Run Act, a bill drafted by my colleague across the aisle, newly-elected Congresswoman from the great State of California, Ms. Katie Porter.
I want to commend Ms. Porter for this important legislation that I believe will allow, as Chairperson Lofgren said, more people of all socioeconomic strata, to be able to run for office.
Strong candidates should not be limited by their circumstances to the point that it prevents them from representing their communities in Congress. Representatives of this body should and do come from all backgrounds to allow for equal representation of all who make up this institution and this great Nation.
I believe this bill will make that happen by allowing the candidate who is not currently a Member of Congress to pay for specific necessary services like childcare and dependent care, that will enable a congressional candidate to participate in all campaign-connected activities.
This is a decision between the candidates and the donors that give to their campaign. All we are asking to do with this piece of legislation is to allow candidates to publicly disclose childcare expenses on their FEC reports. Everyone is going to know what they paid. Everyone is going to know what it went for, and that is an issue they can discuss with the people who are funding their campaigns.
What this bill does not do--let me repeat, Mr. Speaker. What this bill does not do is put more money in the pockets of current Members of Congress. Instead, it allows for an equal opportunity for new representation, providing more Americans who aspire to represent their communities in Congress the chance to do just that.
This is not a radical idea. We should absolutely want to give everyone an equal opportunity to run, to be able to serve, if elected, in this great institution; including single parents who want to run for Federal office but cannot afford the necessary childcare for the grueling campaign schedules that everyone in this institution knows exists.
Again, I want to thank Congresswoman Porter for her hard work on this legislation. I look forward to seeing it implemented, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Ms. LOFGREN. Porter), the author of this bill.
Listening to my colleague, the ranking member, reminded me of when I ran for Congress the very first time. My children were in elementary school. Really, the high point of every day was going to the elementary school, Horace Mann Elementary in downtown San Jose, and standing with the other mothers while we said the Pledge of Allegiance, the flag outside.
I think, for parents, being a parent gives you a viewpoint that is helpful when you come to the Congress of the United States. You don't forget what regular people are going through at home when you are a parent.
I also remember my first day in Congress. My mother had passed away several years before, but my dad was still alive, a retired beer truck driver. He had never been on an airplane in his life. We got him on a plane, and we had a friend sit next to him. He was sitting in that gallery, watching his daughter become a Member of the United States Congress.
I think for those of us who came from humble roots, we never forget where we came from, and it informs our perspective on where the country should go.
I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Porter), the author of the bill.
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Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I think the gentlewoman has made a very good point that this is discretionary on the part of the candidate, but it is a point that we also need to make: This has nothing to do with taxpayers funds. This is no money from the government, no money from the taxpayers. This is a candidate, where a candidate has raised funds and how they spend their campaign funds.
I know that there had been some confusion among some earlier in the day that was unfortunate and has now been corrected. This is only a matter of a campaign expenditure. Really, childcare has to be as important as pizza, to me, at least more important, but that is up for a candidate to decide.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire how much time we have remaining on debate?
Mr. Speaker, one thing that we neglected to point out is that, in addition to a childcare option, if a candidate, and it is generally a female candidate, is caring for elderly parents, this could also be used for eldercare while going to a campaign event. That is also both son's and daughter's care for aging parents, but, oftentimes, it is the daughters who end up providing the eldercare.
If someone is running for Congress and is providing for that eldercare, they obviously can't go to the campaign event with someone who is bedridden or in need of constant attention. This would allow for that very important possibility, just as childcare is.
Unless the author wishes a further comment, I would urge adoption of this amendment with bipartisan support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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