Pursuant to section 401 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, Public Law 92-225, these rules prescribe the general terms and conditions for the extension of unsecured credit by a communication common carrier to a candidate or person on behalf of such candidate for Federal office.

These rules shall apply to each communication common carrier subject to the whole or part of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

For the purposes of this subpart:

(a) Candidate means an individual who seeks nomination for election, or election, to Federal office, whether or not such individual is elected, and an individual shall be deemed to seek nomination for election, or election, if he has (1) taken the action necessary under the law of a State to qualify himself for nomination for election, or election, to Federal office, or (2) received contributions or made expenditures, or has given his consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about his nomination for election, or election, to such office.

(b) Election means (1) a general, special, primary, or runoff election, (2) a convention or caucus of a political party held to nominate a candidate, (3) a primary election held for the selection of delegates to a national nominating convention of a political party, and (4) a primary election held for the expression of a preference for the nomination of persons for election to the office of President.

(c) Federal office means the office of President or Vice President of the United States: or of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress of the United States.

(d) Person means an individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization, and any other organization or group of persons.

(e) Unsecured credit means the furnishing of service without maintaining on a continuing basis advance payment, deposit, or other security, that is designed to assure payment of the estimated amount of service for each future 2 months period, with revised estimates to be made on at least a monthly basis.

(a) There is no obligation upon a carrier to extend unsecured credit for interstate and foreign communication services to a candidate or person on behalf of such candidate for Federal office. However, if the carrier chooses to extend such unsecured credit, it shall comply with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section.

(b) If a carrier decides to extend unsecured credit to any candidate for Federal office or any person on behalf of such candidate, then unsecured credit shall be extended on substantially equal terms and conditions to all candidates and all persons on behalf of all candidates for the same office, with due regard for differences in the estimated quantity of service to be furnished each such candidate or person.