R. Sam Garrett
Specialist in American National Government
Shawn Reese
Analyst in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Policy
This report provides an overview and analysis of two recurring questions surrounding the federal government’s role in financing presidential nominating conventions. First, how much public funding supports presidential nominating conventions? Second, what options exist for changing that amount if Congress chooses to do so? In the 112th Congress, both chambers have passed separate bills to eliminate non-security funding.
In the Senate, an amendment (containing text from S. 3257) to the 2012 Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act, S. 3240, would eliminate the convention funding portion of the presidential public financing program, which funds various convention activities but typically not security. The legislation passed the Senate on June 21, 2012. Separately, S. 194 proposes to eliminate the entire public financing program. Another Senate bill, S. 3312, would reform the public financing program partially by eliminating convention funding.
Two measures that would eliminate convention funding have passed the House. The chamber passed H.R. 359 in January 2011. In December 2011, the House passed H.R. 3463. Both would eliminate the entire public financing program. H.R. 5912 would eliminate only convention financing. H.R. 414 would reform the public financing system but eliminate convention financing. These measures do not appear to affect separate security funding discussed in this report.
The 112th Congress enacted one law (P.L. 112-55) in FY2012 that affected convention security funding with the appropriation of $100 million for the Democratic and Republican nominating conventions (each was allocated $50 million). This security funding was not provided to party convention committees but to the state and local law enforcement entities assisting in securing the convention sites.
The 2012 Democratic and Republican convention committees each have received grants, financed with public funds, of approximately $18.2 million (for a total of approximately $36.5 million, as rounded). These funds will go toward political activities at the conventions rather than security. A total of approximately $133.6 million in federal funds supported the 2008 Democratic and Republican conventions. Such funding was provided through separate federal programs that support public financing of presidential campaigns and convention security.
Some Members of Congress and others have objected to federal convention funding and have argued that the events should be entirely self-supporting. Others, however, contend that public funding is necessary to avoid real or apparent corruption in this aspect of the presidential nominating process. If Congress decides to revisit convention financing, a variety of policy options discussed in this report might present alternatives to current funding arrangements.
Additional discussion of public financing of presidential campaigns appears in CRS Report RL34534, Public Financing of Presidential Campaigns: Overview and Analysis, by R. Sam Garrett and CRS Report R41604, Proposals to Eliminate Public Financing of Presidential Campaigns, by R. Sam Garrett. For additional information on National Special Security Events, which include presidential nominating conventions, see CRS Report RS22754, National Special Security Events, by Shawn Reese. This report will be updated in the event of additional legislative activity concerning convention financing.
Date of Report: June 28, 2012
Number of Pages: 16
Order Number: RL34630
Price: $29.95
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