House votes to give candidates more options for posthumous distribution of campaign money

By Pete Kasperowicz - 09/10/12 05:21 PM ET

The House on Monday afternoon approved a bill that would allow candidates for federal office to designate a person who would be authorized to distribute their campaign funds in the event the candidate dies or becomes incapacitated.

H.R. 406 would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to allow for this change. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) said that under current law, the treasurer of the campaign now is left with the task of distributing money if the candidate dies, and that while this maybe be acceptable to some, candidates should have the option of choosing someone else if they wish.

Under the bill, candidates could tell the Federal Election Commission in writing if they want to designate someone else as being responsible for campaign funds.

The bill is one of several suspension bills that the House approved Monday night by voice vote. Others were:

H.R. 3397, the Cabin Fee Act, which would set up a new fee structure for cabins on federal lands.

H.R. 2706, the Billfish Conservation Act, banning the sale of certain billfish in the U.S. to help boost the population of these fish.

H.R. 6007, the North Texas Zebra Mussel Barrier Act, to allow for the interstate transfer of zebra mussels without being in violation of the Lacey Act.

H.R. 2489, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act, which is aimed at protecting battlefield sites around the country.

H.Con.Res. 132, providing funding to ensure the printing and production of the authorized number of copies of the revised and updated version of the House document entitled "Hispanic Americans in Congress."

H.R. 6336, to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to accept a statue depicting Frederick Douglass from the District of Columbia and to provide for the permanent display of the statue in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center.

At 6:30 p.m., the House voted on three other bills debated today:

H.R. 6186, to require a study of voluntary community-based flood insurance options and how such options could be incorporated into the national flood insurance program. Passed 364-11.

H.R. 2139, the Lions Club International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act. Passed 376-0.

H.R. 6122, to revise the authority of the Librarian of Congress to accept gifts and bequests on behalf of the Library. It authorizes the Librarian to receive certain gifts that benefit the Library that he or she now cannot accept. Passed 377-0.

The House also debated H.R. 4264, the FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act, which would allow the Federal Housing Administration to charge higher premiums for the mortgages it insures in a bid to keep the agency solvent. A vote on that bill should happen later in the week.

— This story was updated at 7:17 p.m. to reflect the roll call votes.