text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``PAC Limitation Act of 1999''.
  
                  TITLE I--REFORMING CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS
  
  SEC. 101. BAN ON POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES 
                IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE.
  
      Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
  
    ``ban on contributions to candidates by political action committees
  
      ``Sec. 323. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
  this Act, no political action committee may make any contribution to 
  any candidate or any authorized committee of the candidate with respect 
  to any election for Federal office.
      ``(b) Political Action Committee Defined.--In this section, the 
  term `political action committee' means any political committee which 
  is not--
              ``(1) an authorized committee of a candidate; or
              ``(2) a national, State, local, or district committee of a 
          political party, including any subordinate committee 
          thereof.''.
  
  SEC. 102. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTION LIMITATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS 
                FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.
  
      Section 315 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  441a) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
      ``(i) A candidate for the office of Representative in, or Delegate 
  or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress may not, with respect to a 
  reporting period for an election, accept contributions from all sources 
  outside the congressional district involved totaling in excess of the 
  total of contributions accepted from individual residents of the 
  congressional district involved.''.
  
  SEC. 103. LIMITATION ON ACCEPTANCE OF SOFT MONEY BY NATIONAL AND 
                CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
  
      Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  431 et seq.), as amended by section 101, is amended by adding at the 
  end the following new section:
  
  ``limitation on acceptance of soft money by national and congressional 
                      committees of political parties
  
      ``Sec. 324. A national committee of a political party and the 
  congressional campaign committees of a political party may not, in any 
  calendar year, accept more than $25,000 from any single person in 
  contributions or transfers that are not otherwise subject to the 
  limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of this Act.''.
  
  SEC. 104. REPORTS ON FEDERAL POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS CARRIED BY RADIO 
                STATIONS, TELEVISION STATIONS, AND CABLE SYSTEMS.
  
      Title III of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
  431 et seq.), as amended by sections 101 and 103, is further amended by 
  adding at the end the following new section:
  
      ``reports on federal political advertisements carried by radio 
              stations, television stations, and cable systems
  
      ``Sec. 325. At such times and in such manner as the Commission 
  shall prescribe by regulation, each operator of a radio broadcasting 
  station, television broadcasting station, or cable system shall report 
  to the Commission the identity of each advertiser, the cost, the 
  duration, and other appropriate information with respect to each 
  Federal political advertisement carried by the station or system, 
  including any advertisement advocating the passage or defeat of Federal 
  legislation, any advertisement advocating the election or defeat of a 
  candidate for Federal office, and any advertisement characterizing the 
  positions taken by such a candidate.''.
  
  SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE.
  
      The amendments made by this title shall take effect on January 1, 
  2000.
  
                     TITLE II--WORKER PAYCHECK FAIRNESS
  
  SEC. 201. FINDINGS.
  
      The Congress finds the following:
              (1) Workers who pay dues or fees to a labor organization 
          may not, as a matter of law, be required to pay to that 
          organization any dues or fees supporting activities that are 
          not necessary to performing the duties of the exclusive 
          representative of the employees in dealing with the employer on 
          labor-management issues.
              (2) Many labor organizations use portions of the dues or 
          fees they collect from the workers they represent for 
          activities that are not necessary to performing the duties of 
          the exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with 
          the employer on labor-management issues. These dues may be used 
          to support political, social, or charitable causes or many 
          other noncollective bargaining activities. Unfortunately, many 
          workers who pay such dues or fees have insufficient information 
          both about their rights regarding the payment of dues or fees 
          to a labor organization and about how labor organizations spend 
          employee dues or fees.
              (3) It is a fundamental tenet of this Nation that all men 
          and women have a right to make individual and informed choices 
          about the political, social, or charitable causes they support, 
          and the law should protect that right to the greatest extent 
          possible.
  
  SEC. 202. PURPOSE.
  
      The purpose of this title is to ensure that all workers have 
  sufficient information about their rights regarding the payment of dues 
  or fees to labor organizations and the uses of employee dues and fees 
  by labor organizations and that the right of all workers to make 
  individual and informed choices about the political, social, or 
  charitable causes they support is protected to the greatest extent 
  possible.
  
  SEC. 203. WRITTEN CONSENT.
  
      (a) In General.--
              (1) Authorization.--A labor organization accepting payment 
          of any dues or fees from an employee as a condition of 
          employment pursuant to an agreement authorized by Federal law 
          must secure from each employee prior, voluntary, written 
          authorization for any portion of such dues or fees which will 
  be used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the 
  exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer 
  on labor-management issues.
              (2) Requirements.--Such written authorization shall clearly 
          state that an employee may not be required to provide such 
          authorization and that if such authorization is provided, the 
          employee agrees to allow any dues or fees paid to the labor 
          organization to be used for activities which are not necessary 
          to performing the duties of exclusive representation and which 
          may be political, social, or charitable in nature.
      (b) Revocation.--An authorization described in subsection (a) shall 
  remain in effect until revoked. Such revocation shall be effective upon 
  30 days written notice.
      (c) Civil Action by Employees.--
              (1) Liability.--Any labor organization which violates this 
          section or section 206 shall be liable to the affected 
          employee--
                      (A) for damages equal to--
                              (i) the amount of the dues or fees accepted 
                          in violation of this section;
                              (ii) the interest on the amount described 
                          in clause (i) calculated at the prevailing 
                          rate; and
                              (iii) an additional amount as liquidated 
                          damages equal to the sum of the amount 
                          described in clause (i) and the interest 
                          described in clause (ii); and
                      (B) for such equitable relief as may be 
                  appropriate.
              (2) Right of action.--An action to recover the damages or 
          equitable relief prescribed in paragraph (1) may be maintained 
          against any labor organization in any Federal or State court of 
          competent jurisdiction by any one or more employees for and in 
          behalf of--
                      (A) the employees; or
                      (B) the employees and other employees similarly 
                  situated.
              (3) Fees and costs.--The court in such action shall, in 
          addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff, allow a 
          reasonable attorney's fee, reasonable expert witness fees, and 
          other costs of the action to be paid by the defendant.
              (4) Limitation.--An action may be brought under this 
          subsection not later than 2 years after the date the employee 
          knew or should have known that dues or fees were accepted or 
          spent by a labor organization in violation of this title, 
          except that such period shall be extended to 3 years in the 
          case of a willful violation.
  
  SEC. 204. NOTICE.
  
      An employer whose employees are represented by a collective 
  bargaining representative shall be required to post a notice, of such 
  size and in such form as the Department of Labor shall prescribe, in 
  conspicuous places in and about its plants and offices, including all 
  places where notices to employees are customarily posted, informing 
  employees that any labor organization accepting payment of any dues or 
  fees from an employee as a condition of employment pursuant to an 
  agreement authorized by Federal law must secure from each employee 
  prior, written authorization if any portion of such dues or fees will 
  be used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the 
  exclusive representative of the employees in dealing with the employer 
  on labor-management issues.
  
  SEC. 205. DISCLOSURE TO WORKERS.
  
      (a) Expenses Reporting.--Section 201(b) of the Labor-Management 
  Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended by adding at the end 
  the following new sentence: ``Every labor organization shall be 
  required to attribute and report expenses in such detail as necessary 
  to allow members to determine whether such expenses were necessary to 
  performing the duties of the exclusive representative of the employees 
  in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues.''
      (b) Disclosure.--Section 201(c) of the Labor-Management Reporting 
  and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended--
              (1) by inserting ``and employees required to pay any dues 
          or fees to such organization'' after ``members''; and
              (2) by inserting ``or employee required to pay any dues or 
          fees to such organization'' after ``member'' each place it 
          appears.
      (c) Written Requests.--Section 205(b) of the Labor-Management 
  Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 is amended by adding at the end 
  the following new sentence: ``Upon written request, the Secretary shall 
  make available complete copies of any report or other document filed 
  pursuant to section 201.''.
  
  SEC. 206. RETALIATION AND COERCION PROHIBITED.
  
      It shall be unlawful for any labor organization to coerce, 
  intimidate, threaten, interfere with, or retaliate against any employee 
  in the exercise of, or on account of having exercised, any right 
  granted or protected by this title.
  
  SEC. 207. REGULATIONS.
  
      The Secretary of Labor shall prescribe such regulations as are 
  necessary to carry out section 204 not later than 60 days after the 
  enactment of this title and shall prescribe such regulations as are 
  necessary to carry out the amendments made by section 205 not later 
  than 120 days after the enactment of this title.
  
  SEC. 208. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION.
  
      This title shall be effective immediately upon enactment, except 
  that sections 203 and 204 pertaining to worker consent and notice shall 
  take effect 90 days after enactment and section 205 pertaining to 
  disclosure shall take effect 150 days after enactment.
target: Title II: Worker Paycheck Fairness
   - Outlines worker rights with regard to the payment of dues or fees to labor organizations, requiring the following: (1) prior, voluntary written authorization for any portion of such dues or fees used for activities not necessary to performing the duties of the employee's exclusive representative in dealing with the employer on labor management issues; and (2) posting of notices to that effect by an employer with employees represented by a collective bargaining representative. Provides for civil actions by employees against labor organizations for violations involving written consent and for retaliation and coercion with regard to any employee who exercises any such right under this title.
  Amends the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 to do the following: (1) require certain expense reporting by labor organizations to allow members to determine the necessity of such expenses in the performance of the duties of the employee's exclusive representative in dealing with the employer on labor-management issues; and (2) require the Secretary of Labor to make available complete copies of reports by labor organizations, including annual financial reports or other related documents upon written request.
feat_title: PAC Limitation Act of 1999