2012 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 66 - DOMESTIC VOLUNTEER SERVICES (§§ 4950 - 5091n)
Subchapter IV - ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION (§§ 5041 - 5066)
Section 5043 - Political activities

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.

(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

(C) any voter registration activity;

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.

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.

(Pub. L. 93–113, title IV, §403, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 408; Pub. L. 96–143, §§8, 18(c)(1), Dec. 13, 1979, 93 Stat. 1077, 1083; Pub. L. 96–187, title I, §112(e)(1), Jan. 8, 1980, 93 Stat. 1366; Pub. L. 99–551, §10(i)(6), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3078; Pub. L. 103–82, title III, §363, title IV, §405(a)(7), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 907, 920.)

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) to (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–113, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 394, known as the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4950 of this title and Tables.

1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–82, §405(a)(7), substituted “administered by the Corporation under this chapter” for “administered by the ACTION Agency” and “of the Corporation” for “of the ACTION Agency”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 103–82, §363(3), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “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 non-partisan political activity or any other political activity associated with a candidate, or 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 (C) any voter registration activity.”

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–82, §363(3), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated subsec. (c).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–82, §363(1), (2), redesignated subsec. (b)(2) as subsec. (c) and subpars. (A) and (B) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively. Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–82, §363(1), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d).

1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–551 substituted “an official capacity” for “his official capacity”.

1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–187 substituted “section 431(1) of title 2” and “section 431(3) of title 2” for “section 431(a) of title 2” and “section 431(c) of title 2”, respectively.

1979—Pub. L. 96–143, §8(a), inserted “or the outcome of any election to any State or local public office,” after “Federal office,” and “(when referring to an election for Federal office)” before “has the same meaning”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–143, §8(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), cls. (1) to (3) thereof as cls. (A) to (C), and last sentence thereof as subsec. (c), and added par. (2).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–143, §§8(b)(3), 18(c)(1), designated as subsec. (c) provisions formerly contained in last sentence of subsec. (b) and, as so designated, substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission”.

Amendment by section 363 of Pub. L. 103–82 effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 392 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 4951 of this title.

Amendment by section 405(a)(7) of Pub. L. 103–82 effective Apr. 4, 1994, see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as a note under section 8332 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–551 effective Oct. 1, 1986, except as otherwise provided, see section 11 of Pub. L. 99–551, set out as an Effective Date note under section 4950 of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–187 effective Jan. 8, 1980, see section 301(a) of Pub. L. 96–187, set out as a note under section 431 of Title 2, The Congress.