U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 5043. Political activities

(a) Funds use prohibition; “election” and “Federal office” defined

No part of any funds appropriated to carry out this chapter, or any program administered by the Corporation under this chapter, shall be used to finance, directly or indirectly, any activity designed to influence the outcome of any election to Federal office, or the outcome of any election to any State or local public office, or any voter registration activity, or to pay the salary of any officer or employee of the Corporation, who, in an official capacity as such an officer or employee, engages in any such activity. As used in this section, the term “election” (when referring to an election for Federal office) has the same meaning given such term by section 431 (1) of title 2, and the term “Federal office” has the same meaning given such term by section 431 (3) of title 2.

(b) Prohibition on program identification

(1) Programs assisted under this chapter shall not be carried on in a manner involving the use of funds, the provision of services, or the employment or assignment of personnel in a manner supporting or resulting in the identification of such programs with—

(A) any partisan or nonpartisan political activity associated with a candidate, or a contending faction or group, in an election for public or party office;

(B) any activity to provide voters or prospective voters with transportation to the polls or similar assistance in connection with any such election; or

except that programs assisted under this chapter may make voter registration applications and nonpartisan voter registration information available to the public on the premises of such programs.

(2) In carrying out any voter registration activity permitted under paragraph (1), an individual who is affiliated with, or employed to carry out, a program assisted under this chapter shall not—

(A) indicate a preference with respect to any candidate, political party, or election issue; or

(B) seek to influence the political or party affiliation, or voting decision, of any individual.

No funds appropriated to carry out this chapter shall be used by any program assisted under this chapter in any activity for the purpose of influencing the passage or defeat of legislation or proposals by initiative petition, except—

(1) in any case in which a legislative body, a committee of a legislative body, or a member of a legislative body requests any volunteer in, or employee of, such a program to draft, review, or testify regarding measures or to make representations to such legislative body, committee, or member; or

(2) in connection with an authorization or appropriations measure directly affecting the operation of the program.

(d) Enforcement; rules and regulations

The Director, after consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, shall issue rules and regulations to provide for the enforcement of this section, which shall include provisions for summary suspension of assistance for no more than thirty days until notice and an opportunity to be heard can be provided or other action necessary to permit enforcement on an emergency basis.

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