Statutes of the Party of Communists USA
PREAMBLE
The Party of Communists USA (PCUSA) is the political party of the working class and is dedicated to the interests of all working people, and all oppressed peoples. Its aim is a socialist society, on the road to building communism.
Socialism-communism will act in the interests of the people and the planet rather than for the profit of capitalist corporations. Only through abolition of the capitalist system and the socialist reorganization of society can exploitation of one human being by another be ended, and with it the evils of oppression, war, racism, misogyny, poverty, and environmental destruction.
Capitalist “democracy” is based on the domination of our economic and political life by the owners of the multinational and other large monopoly corporations; this will be replaced by socialist reorganization of society based on the public ownership and operation of the means of production, within a state led by the working class. Socialism will initiate the end to the system of private profit and build support for a new worldwide social and economic system based on peace and equality.
Socialism will be the start of educating the U.S. Population on the national question and the origins of national and the racial oppression for the Black, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Native American, Asian-Pacific, and all other nationally oppressed people and immigrants. Party involvement in the struggle for equality of the oppressed nationalities, the special oppression of women, and the struggle against discrimination, abuse, and harassment of the LGBT+ community will unite the whole working class.
The heart of the day-to-day program of the PCUSA is the struggle for peace, democracy, equality; against racism and misogyny; and for improvement in the living conditions of all working people, manifested in the support of struggles of oppressed peoples’ struggles worldwide for national liberation and self-determination, and against imperialist aggression, and for the peaceful coexistence between states with different social systems.
The fight of workers for jobs and full employment, improvement of their living and working conditions, for organizing the unorganized and defending their unions against attacks by monopoly capital and its bourgeois government is the fight of our Party.
The struggle for the equality of Black people and against racism and white supremacy is essential to all social progress. It is key to the fighting unity of the working class, and for the struggle of the equality, and all other oppressed nationalities. The fight of the Black, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Native American, Asian-Pacific and other oppressed nationalities, for the full economic, political and social equality, and Multi-Racial unity, is the goal of the PCUSA.
The fight for the full equality of women is also the struggle of the whole Party. Women constitute one-half of the population, but are treated worse than second class citizens. They are paid less for the same work a man does; have fewer avenues for advancement in their jobs; and are exploited by the capitalist system that attempts to put on them all the financial burden and onerous responsibility of housework, reproduction (raising children) & eldercare. The struggle for women is ultimately tied with the struggle for the family, with demands for affordable housing, free quality healthcare, unrestricted access to birth control and abortion, better education for children, child care, paid mandatory maternity and paternity leave of 6 years, paid family sick leave and guaranteed employment, equal wages and promotions for equal work, simpler food stamp (SNAP) qualifications as well as wages and social security for housework, child & eldercare.
The historic role of the working class determines the goals of the PCUSA. Our cause is the cause of all working people and therefore of all humanity. To this end, the PCUSA fights shoulder to shoulder with all who struggle for peace, democracy, equality, against racism, xenophobia, misogyny and anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia, inclusive of the right of people to have their own gender identity and sexual orientation. Class Struggle involving the whole working class is what will move us from here to socialism.
Monopoly capital and the government it dominates continually press in a reactionary, repressive direction, curtailing the democratic rights of the people, and increasing the threat of fascism. Our Party continually fights against this danger to expand the democratic rights of the people.
All these struggles weaken capitalism, and particularly challenge the monopolies that dominate this system. They are also the struggles through which the necessary conditions are created for the working class and its allies to make advances through mass struggle with the goal of taking power and building socialism.
The working class is the only class capable of leading the people against capitalism and to socialism. It faces the capitalist class daily at the point of production and on all other fronts of class struggle. Because of our position in the system of production, our working class, through organization, have the greatest potential for taking political power.
The PCUSA is part of the working class, and a partisan of their interests. Through daily struggle, the PCUSA works to increase the class and socialist consciousness, and the need for the political independence of the working class, to unite our class to defeat the main tools of capitalist division, racism and anti-communism. Our Party assists in bringing working people into the leadership of a growing All-People’s Alliance with all class and social strata whose interests clash with those of the monopolies. Only such an All-People’s Alliance, with the working class and Black people, and other oppressed nationalities at its core, can curb the power of the monopolies and open the path to the socialist reorganization of society. The PCUSA plays this leading role because it is based on scientific socialism, identified as Marxism-Leninism and its organizational principle of democratic centralism.
The PCUSA recognizes and fights for identity of interests among workers of all countries and for the right of oppressed people for self-determination, which is also in the true national interests of each country. In this spirit of working class internationalism, the PCUSA cherishes its solidarity with the world Communist movement and the socialist countries. It also strives for the closest bonds with the working class of the other capitalist countries.
In the struggle against U.S. imperialism, the world’s most powerful and aggressive imperialism, our Party works to build the solidarity of the U.S. working class with the developing countries, the national liberation movements and especially with the victims of U.S. imperialist aggression, exploitation and domination. Only through this world working class solidarity and anti-imperialist unity can peaceful coexistence as outlined by Lenin and Stalin, be assured, and the world saved from nuclear war.
For these purposes the Party of Communists USA is constituted and establishes the basic rules of its organization in the following Constitution:
ARTICLE l — NAME
The organization shall be known as Party of Communists of the United States of America (PCUSA).
ARTICLE II — PURPOSE
To build the militant workers movement by establishing the PCUSA as the revolutionary workers’ vanguard party, firmly rooted in the scientific principles of Marxism-Leninism, and the principled defense of the 20th Century Soviet experience through the implementation of class struggle strategies and tactics. The role of the Party is central to anti-racist, anti-monopoly, anti-imperialist, political independence from the bourgeois parties of monopoly capital in our country. Our purpose is to promote international working-class solidarity with the World Communist Movement through the science of dialectical and historical materialism, known historically as Marxism-Leninism.
A. RATIONALE AND PROGRAM
Our goal is to build a Socialist society that will advance toward a classless Communist society. Producing printed periodicals for organizing, educating and agitation among the masses is the best way to establish the political leadership necessary to lead the working class. Directing the resources of our Party toward building an educational center for Marxist studies, and building Marxist-Leninist schools, opening bookstores with the goal of having a permanent organizing structure led by the PCUSA is the best method of achieving our goal. Our program is to organize cadre through building local Party Clubs and a vigorous League of Young Communists (LYCUSA). The Party of Communists USA (PCUSA) and the League of Young Communists USA (LYCUSA) utilize the publication “The Communist Party Manual on Organization” by J. Peters (1935) as their organizational guide, and Joseph Stalin’s “The Foundations of Leninism” (1924).
B. OUR EIGHT POINTS OF PARTY UNITY
1. Marxism-Leninism
We apply the science of Marxism-Leninism as the means to achieve supremacy of the working class and the oppressed.
2. Vanguard-Cadre Party
We maintain that the role of the party, as laid out by the Bolshevik experience, is that of a vanguard workers party, which opposes and organizes against the bourgeois state and its surrogate parties. Such a party acts as the general staff of the working class, educating, organizing and leading the proletariat in its struggle for liberation, and to that end the party must develop and train strong cadres to lead the struggle.
3. Dictatorship of the Proletariat
As Marx and Lenin wrote, we agree that organizing a class conscious working class is the only way to achieve liberation from the bourgeoisie-and that due to the inevitability of the class struggle and the nature of the state as the tool of oppression of one class by another, only the overthrow of the bourgeois state by the proletariat and the active destruction of the bourgeoisie by the dictatorship of the proletariat (Soviet power) will liquidate capitalism and consolidate the power of working-class interests to transform the social and economic relations of the United States into a socialist-communist state.
4. Democratic Centralism
The governing principle of the PCUSA is known as democratic centralism, which is what distinguishes us from the bourgeois parties. Decisions made at the level of the PCUSA Central Committee are based on discussions that have taken place within the basic units and districts of the party. Our clubs, also referred to as cells or fractions are the basic unit of the party upon which democratic centralism is anchored. The fundamental principle for building and organizing the work of the party, Democratic centralism combines the full initiative, right, and duty of party organizations to decide on questions within their scope of responsibility, with their accountability and regular reporting of activities to higher party bodies, and the subordination of the minority to the majority and strict discipline once a decision has been made. Underestimation or rejection of democratic centralism is typical of revisionists, testifying to their non-scientific approach and the influence of bourgeois and petty bourgeois ideology.
5. Proletarian Internationalism
We support the international working class, and the struggle of the oppressed peoples for liberation from imperialist domination and exploitation within this country and around the world, and oppose all forms of imperialism worldwide, fighting especially against the mechanisms of imperialism created and maintained by the current bourgeois regime in our own country, and will actively oppose and work to end its wars of imperialist adventurism around the globe.
6. Support for real existing socialism of the 20th century
We support and uphold the legacy and lessons of the socialist revolutionary movement of the 20th century, and the contributions of Lenin, Stalin and other leading Marxist-Leninist revolutionaries. We will defend that legacy against defamation by revisionists, capitalists, Trotskyites, Maoists, social democrats, anarchists, Cold War liberal bourgeoisie and petite-bourgeoisie “phony left” radicals who undermine the revolutionary history and struggle of Marxist-Leninist theory and practice. We will reject the so-called 21st century socialism and Euro communism as revisionist attempts to promote reformist schemes and market socialism over true revolutionary struggle and socialist collectivization. We reject all unscientific and dogmatic vulgar Marxism.
7. Continuing Lenin’s opposition to right opportunism and revisionism inside the World Communist Movement
We oppose all forms of right opportunism and revisionism to supplant Marxist-Leninist ideology in the world Communist movement historically, and especially exemplified in the current CPUSA. We identify this revisionism as an intrusion of bourgeois ideology that weakens and distorts our theory, practice, and purpose, leading to class collaboration and counter-revolution.
8. Revolution is the only means to the end goal of establishing the dictatorship of the proletariat and a scientific socialist society based on the science of Marxism-Leninism.
Our position is that class-conscious struggle for socialist revolution is the only means of achieving liberation for the working class. Further, that any measure of reformism, collaboration or conciliation with the bourgeoisie serves only to undermine and prolong workers’ struggle, leading to the further consolidation of capitalist power and dominance. “The immediate aim of the Communists is the same as that of all other proletarian parties: formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeois supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat.” [Communist Manifesto, chapter ll, paragraph Vll]
C. PARTY STRUCTURE
Party structure is as follows:
National Congress Central Committee Politburo Section 1 — 8 titled officers, 4 District Organizers, and 3 at-large members of the Central Committee for a total of 15. Section 2 — When the Central Committee, Political Bureau, or any Party body — whether national, district, or club — decides it is in the best interests of the organization to assign an additional Party member to that Party body, such a comrade will be added to the Party body by majority vote or unanimous consent, provided the Party body retains its size as composed of an odd number of comrades. More than one comrade may be added to a Party body at the same time. Departments Finance Department International Department Organization Department Communications Department Press: The Worker New Outlook Publishers The Communist Internet and web communications Agitation and Propaganda Education Department Ideological Department PCUSA Districts Eastern Southern Midwestern Pacific Commissions — The Central Committee and the Politburo shall establish ad hoc commissions to carry out special areas of work. The following commissions are regularly functioning commissions of the PCUSA. Agriculture Commission Animal Rights Commission Arts & Culture Commission Asian Commission Civil Liberties Commission Environmental Commission Health & Disability Commission History Commission Indigenous Peoples Commission Jewish Commission Labor Commission Legislative & Electoral Commission LGBTQ+ Commission Peace & Solidarity Commission Religious Affairs Commission Veteran’s Commission Women’s Commission League of Young Communists USA
ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the PCUSA is extended to applicants living in the United States who are eighteen (18) years of age or older that accept the statutes and program of the Party, and who accept the PCUSA’s eight points of Marxist-Leninist unity. If a worker is less than 18 years of age and wants to join the League of Young Communists USA, and there is no LYCUSA club (cell) in the town or factory nearest to where the comrade is located, the Party Club (cell) has the right to accept the comrade into the Party Club (cell) until, with the help of the Party comrades, the comrade can build up a Club (cell) of the LYC. Further conditions for membership in our party or youth league are contained in the following pledge:
To create a better world, I now take my place in the ranks of the international communist movement and the Party of Communists USA, the party of the U.S. working class.
I take this pledge to give the best that is in me to the service of my class.
I pledge myself to spare no effort in uniting workers in militant struggle against war, racism, imperialism, and fascism.
I pledge myself to work unsparingly in helping the organized labor movement, in the shops, among the unemployed, to lead the struggles for the daily needs of the American working class, understanding fully that the class struggle is a central ingredient in solving the oppression of working people and the oppressed.
I solemnly pledge to take my place in the forefront of the struggle for the rights of all nationally oppressed people; against anti-Soviet sentiments and behavior, anti-Communism, racism, misogyny, ageism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, police brutality, discrimination against the disabled, and to struggle against the chauvinist lies of the capitalist class.
I pledge myself to rally the U.S. working class to defend the ideals of the former Soviet Union, and to support the former Soviet peoples in their struggle to reestablish the Soviet Union as a scientific socialist state.
I pledge myself to consistently remain a vigilant and firm defender of the Leninist line of our party, to ensure the establishment of scientific socialism in these United States, working to transfer power from the capitalist class to the working class.
Our party application for membership carries this declaration: “the undersigned declares their adherence to the statutes and program of the PCUSA, agrees to submit to the discipline of the PCUSA and to engage actively in its work.” Based on this declaration we hereby enumerate the conditions for membership in the party in the following way:
- Participation in an appropriate Party lead organizational structure
- Regular payment of membership dues
- Participation in the decision-making process of democratic centralism
- Adherence to the discipline of the Party
Subject to the provisions of this article any member shall become ineligible for party membership who is a strike breaker, an agent-provocateur, an informer, or one that allows substance abuse to interfere with their party work and their ability to interact with the party and its membership.
ARTICLE IV — RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS
Section 1
Every member of the Party who is in good standing has the right and duty to participate in the making of its policies and in their execution and to participate in the elections of the Party bodies to which they belongs.
A member has the right, within the Party organization, to express openly and uphold their opinion or differences on any question, provided that the Party organization has not adopted a decision. This may be accomplished in meetings of the Party organizations and in authorized publications. After a decision, a Party member who disagrees has the right to appeal successively to the next higher body, including the National Congress. At the same time every member has the duty to carry out the majority decision.
Members may criticize the work of all leading committees and individual leaders, irrespective of the positions they hold, for violations of party policy, shortcomings, errors or unbecoming conduct; provided this is done in appropriate Party meetings, conferences, congresses or other Party bodies. An officer who interferes with this right of criticism shall be subject to discipline.
Any member may address a question or statement to a leadership body through proper Party channels, in the spirit of criticism and self-criticism all intermediary bodies will forward such communications promptly.
Leading Departments or Commissions must respond within a reasonable time.
During pre-congress discussion, members have the right and duty within Party organizations and publications designated for this purpose to discuss all PCUSA policies and tactics, and the right to criticize the work and composition of all leading commissions.
Section 2
All comrades shall strive to attend all club meetings. Members shall continually strive to expand their political knowledge and their understanding of Marxism-Leninism, to take part in the discussion of Party policy, to initiate activities, to work for the aims and policies of the Party, and to seek to win new members to its ranks. They shall also read, circulate and help improve Party publications. All members shall circulate the press and make work with the press central to their mass activity.
Each member shall practice criticism and self-criticism with the aim of improving the work of the Party, its bodies, and his or her own activity, and shall fight against shortcomings, violations of democracy, unconstitutional procedure and manifestations of bureaucracy.
The Central Committee and leadership at all levels shall take the initiative and give the lead for the development of the fullest criticism and self-criticism regarding shortcomings and resolutely strive for their correction.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to struggle for the unity and other needs of the working class against all forms of national oppression, national chauvinism, white supremacy, discrimination and segregation, against all anti-working-class ideologies and practices, that encompasses bigotry, discrimination against oppressed nationalities, women, the LGBT+ community, and immigrants as well as against white chauvinism and anti-Semitism.
It shall be the duty of all Party members to fight for the full social, political and economic equality of the Black people and promote the unity of Black and white as essential to the advancement of their common interests.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to fight for the social, political and economic equality for Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Native American peoples, Asian-Pacific peoples, other oppressed nationalities, and immigrants living in the United States.
It shall be the obligation of all Party members to struggle against all manifestations of male supremacy and discrimination against women, and to fight for the full social, political and economic equality of women. All members of the Party will make maximum effort to struggle against LGBT+ discrimination and prejudice, keeping in mind our Party’s history of struggle for LGBT+ rights and access to jobs and services afforded to other members of the working class that have been attained through years of class struggle.
Section 2a
The Party of Communists USA will have three levels of membership and one level of non-membership status: Non-Cadre Status
Supporter Members: Supporters are people who contribute financially to the party but make no meaningful attempt to apply or join through the application or integration process. Their contributions ,and when appropriate, contact information shall be kept on file for outreach, recruitment or offers of subscriptions to party publications or media.
Associate Members: These are members who pay dues at the associate membership level, are non-voting observers of mass movements, PSMLS and public webinars.
Candidate Members: These are members who have made a formal petition to the party to begin the Candidate Process. Once accepted, these comrades undergo at least 12 months (exceptions can be made) of active participation and training before they are considered for Cadre status. They must be active within a mass organization, a Party commission, and their respective club. Candidates are responsible for keeping track of their own activities, concentrating on leadership experiences as a candidate, and to approach their Club Chair with their cadre application a month prior to their anniversary date. Cadre Status
Cadre Members: Cadre members are the core of the party and its leadership. They can hold, by appointment, or through any election, for leadership positions and have made a commitment (pledge) to the party to serve it in their respective positions. Cadre members are expected to be active members of one Party Commission and one Mass Organization in addition to any other duties they may accept from leadership. Procedures for granting and demoting Cadre Status
Club Chairs or membership secretaries will report their assessment of the candidate’s participation and activity to the District Membership Secretary who will bring all the documentation to the Organizational Department for review. In addition, documentation will be requested from any commission(s) and mass organization(s) that the candidate has joined and from the PSMLS (People’s School for Marxist-Leninist Studies). The Organizational Department will be assigned the task of interviewing and vetting the potential cadre.
The Organizational Department, after reviewing a potential candidate will either:
Grant cadre status Grant probation status for a determinate amount of months before a reassessment Reject cadre status
Cadre members who fail to honor their commitments will be reprimanded. In extreme cases, a Cadre member can be demoted and returned to the candidate level. The procedure for removal of cadre status will follow the same guidelines for granting cadre status.
Section 3
All leading commissions shall seek a maximum of consultation with other commissions, Party clubs and the membership in the formation of policy, and especially with those comrades directly involved. In the period between congresses, the various Party organizations, from District Committees to the Central Committee, may organize delegated conferences to evaluate Party work on a specific issue, or to develop a position on new issues which may arise. Other forms of consultation may include membership referendum.
Section 4
All Party members who are eligible must belong to their respective trade unions.
Section 5
All Party members working in mass organizations (trade unions, farm, community, fraternal, etc.) shall promote and strengthen the unity and leading role of the working class, and the oppressed, to fight for the unity and needs of the working class and its allies.
Section 6
All members who are eligible shall register to vote in elections for public office.
Section 7
The Party shall give full aid in the acquisition of United States citizenship to those of its members who, because of unjust and undemocratic laws and practices, desire to become U.S. citizens, but have been deprived of this right.
ARTICLE V — ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE
Section 1
The highest authority of the Party is the national Congress which elects a Central Committee, and Politburo, and Council of Secretaries to serve between congresses.
The Politburo consisting of members of the Central Committee implements the party’s Marxist-Leninist line after a period of discussion according to the principle of organization of the PCUSA known as democratic centralism.
Section 2
Central Committee meetings will be held every six (6) months. PCUSA membership meetings will be held in January of each year. The Party and its day to day operations will be guided and directed by the Politburo, which will meet no less than once each week, except during the holiday season which includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year.
The top leadership of the PCUSA responsible for the operation of the Party between Congresses is the Central Committee, which will be composed of the eight (8) top officers of the PCUSA, known as:
- General Secretary
- National Chair
- Recording Secretary
- Organizational Secretary
- Financial Secretary
- Educational Secretary
- Ideological Secretary
- International Secretary
Section 3
The Central Committee will meet no less than two times each calendar year. The Politburo will meet no less than once a week to manage the affairs of the Party. The Politburo includes the 8 titled officers of the PCUSA, and the four (4) District Organizers of the Party, and three (3) at-large members of the Central Committee. Eight (8) comrades constitutes a quorum of the Politburo.
When the Central Committee, Political Bureau, or any Party body, whether national, district, or club, decides it is in the best interests of the organization to assign an additional Party member to that Party body, such comrade will be added to the Party body by majority vote or unanimous consent, as specified in Article II, Section C, Subsection 2.
ARTICLE VI — DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section 1
The Politburo confirms the activities of the organization.
A majority vote of the quorum of the Politburo (50% plus 1 vote) shall determine policy, approve statements made on behalf of the Party and approve expenditures between membership meetings. The General Secretary shall preside over national meetings. Following each meeting of the Politburo, Central Committee, or membership of the PCUSA.
The General Secretary shall carry out the will of the membership as determined by the process of democratic centralism at regular scheduled meetings.
The General Secretary shall in no case carry out unilateral actions without the approval of a majority of the Politburo.
In the temporary absence of the General Secretary, the National Chair shall act in the comrade’s place. The need for a permanent replacement of any office of the PCUSA will be filled by an election of the Politburo in a special meeting called for that purpose.
Section 2
The General Secretary
Between meetings the General Secretary shall carry out the will of the Politburo as expressed by the process of democratic centralism.
The Politburo shall oversee the work of all established Commissions. The Politburo is responsible for the publication of the theoretical journal of the PCUSA, The Communist. Further, it is the responsibility of the General Secretary, with the approval of the Politburo majority, to appoint an Editor and Editorial Board to oversee the publication of the organ of the Central Committee of the PCUSA known as The Worker.
The General Secretary, together with the Treasurer, will be responsible for, and keep a record of, all monies of the PCUSA.
Any amount of expenditure over the amount of $400 shall require two signatures, that of the Treasurer of the PCUSA or their designee, and that of the General Secretary or their designee.
The National Chair
The National Chairperson will assist the Ideological Department in preparing Party propaganda and educational materials and will assist the General Secretary in fulfilling administrative tasks of the Party.
The National Chair will also be assigned to the boards of the Peoples’ School for Marxist-Leninist Studies (PSMLS) and New Outlook Publishers, and shall chair all meetings of the Central Committee and the Politburo in the absence of the General Secretary.
Should the General Secretary become incapacitated, the National Chair will act as General Secretary until the Central Committee of the PCUSA meets and elects a new Comrade to the position of General Secretary.
Organizational Secretary
The Organizational Secretary shall be charged with the administration of the Organization Department of the PCUSA, and shall coordinate the work of the District Organizers of the Party. The Organizational Secretary will work with the Financial Secretary to prepare lists of active members and to guarantee that all member dues are current.
Financial Secretary
The Financial Secretary shall preside over periodic meetings of the Finance Department, shall prepare accounting statements for each meeting of the Central Committee. The Finance Department shall also be responsible for maintaining a roster of districts in good standing with the PCUSA, shall work with the Politburo on any special organizational projects requiring advanced financial planning such as travel, media, and national conferences. The Finance Department will prepare detailed reports of such expenditures in advance to present to the Central Committee for their consideration when instructed by the General Secretary.
Educational Secretary
The Educational Secretary is responsible for the oversight and management of New Outlook Publishers, the Party’s publishing house, and will serve on its Board of Directors. The Educational Secretary will be responsible for all Party literature and distribution.
Ideological Secretary
The Ideological Secretary will also serve of the Chair of the Peoples’ School for Marxist-Leninist Studies (PSMLS). The Ideological Secretary will be responsible for coordinating and organizing new members’ classes, and the development of Party pamphlets and ideological materials on the ‘burning questions’ affecting and impacting the working class, and the oppressed.
International Secretary
The International Secretary is responsible for the running of the International Department, and for all relations and communications with fraternal parties and workers’ organizations in the international communist movement.
Recording Secretary
The Recording Secretary is responsible for maintaining all the archives of the PCUSA, including but not limited to minutes of Central Committee meetings, meetings of the Politburo, and meetings of the Districts and Clubs.
The Recording Secretary shall keep a copy of all public statements issued in the name of the PCUSA, including leaflets, press releases, and all public documents. The Recording Secretary shall maintain an electronic copy of all PCUSA minutes, and to make certain that printed copies of all meeting minutes are kept on file at the PCUSA National Office.
ARTICLE VII — DISTRICT ORGANIZATION
The Central Committee, in the absence of a locally elected District Organizer, is authorized to appoint a temporary District Organizer in geographical locations throughout the country where clubs are being established. It is the responsibility of the District Organizer to work with the General Secretary and Organizing Secretary in utilizing local members and contacts to help establish an Organizing District that will coordinate actions with the approval of the Central Committee. Each district is responsible for sending a minimum of $25 quarterly dues to the national office. The Central Committee can remove the District Organizer for activities not in accordance with the aim of the Party of Communists USA. An appeal of this decision must be heard and acted upon within sixty (60) days at the next meeting of the Politburo.
ARTICLE VIII — AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to this Constitution may be made by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates present at a national conference. Amendments shall be proposed in writing at least three weeks before the conference and will be communicated to all members.
ARTICLE IX — DISTRICT MEETINGS
Section 1
It shall be the responsibility of each District Organizer to schedule district meetings. District meetings shall be scheduled for the convenience of, and by majority of members, with timely notice provided. Local organizations shall be called Cells or Clubs and shall be integrated into the proper geographic district as a basic unit of the Party.
Section 2 — Responsibilities of the District Organizers
It shall be the responsibility of each District Organizer to schedule district meetings. Meetings shall be scheduled for the convenience of members, with timely notice provided. Additional duties include proper and timely distribution of party press, literature, and other materials to each club, and to active members. The District Organizers will coordinate this work with the office of the General Secretary, and New Outlook Publishers. All clubs and districts must maintain a supply of Party supported publications and literature, including but not limited to, ample copies of The Worker, Labor Today, The Communist, a catalogue of literature available from New Outlook Publishers, PCUSA/LYCUSA membership applications, Party welcome letters, ample copies of the PCUSA statutes, and the PCUSA Program, ample copies of the Communist Party Manual on Organization by J. Peters, and Foundations of Leninism by Joseph Stalin. Local organizations shall be called Cells or Clubs and shall be integrated into the proper geographic district as a basic unit of the Party.
Section 3 — Democratic Rules of Order
All party club meetings shall be governed by the process of democratic centralism. A simple majority of comrades present and in good standing shall be the vote required to call a question, limit or extend debate, or pass resolutions. A resolution that is passed or carried is recorded in the minutes of the Party District and the Central Committee.
ARTICLE X — Control, Disciplinary Procedures and Appeals
Section 1
Definitions: Comrade = Candidates and Cadre Member = Cadre
This article pertains only to Comrades who have concerns about another Comrade’s actions or conduct within the Party. Outside allegations will always be suspect as they are the product of a non-communist system.
Subject to the provisions of this Article; and ensuring that the accused Comrade/Member has access to due process, including but not limited to representation by a Comrade/Member of the Party of his or her choosing, who is active and in good standing; any Comrade/Member or officer of the Party may be reprimanded, censured, removed from office, or expelled from the Party for actions detrimental to the interests of the Party and the working class.
This includes a disregard for the PCUSA Constitution and its procedures, the Eight Points of Unity, and the Programs of the PCUSA, as well as factionalism; and making false statements on an application for membership. Also, making false or egregious claims against a Party member by colluding with others, or by using illegally obtained items or recordings, etc., or by publically broadcasting said claims. As well as financial irregularities; or advocating for the practice of racial, nationality or religious discrimination, or for discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
Any member shall be expelled from the Party who is a strikebreaker, a provocateur*, an informer, or who engages in individual acts of terrorism.
- An undercover agent who incites unsuspecting persons to partake in or commit criminal acts. One who suggests ideas contradictory to [an organization’s] accepted values and practices.
Individual acts of terrorism are inconsistent with the aims of the PCUSA. Therefore, individual acts of terrorism are never sanctioned by the PCUSA. Individual acts of terrorism are clearly distinguishable from acts of self-defense of comrades who are threatened with force and violence. Self-defense of Comrades is not punishable under this section.
Section 2
Charges against individual Members/Comrades or commission members may be made by any Member/Comrade in good standing, or Party committee to the club of which the accused is assigned or to the appropriate higher committee having jurisdiction.
The burden of proof shall be on the accusers.
All accused persons concerned in disciplinary cases, except publicly self-admitted informers and provocateurs, shall have the right to appear, to bring witnesses, including non-members, and to give testimony.
All such charges shall be handled expeditiously by an elected Committee of Inquiry of the Club or appropriate higher body. The Committee of Inquiry shall hear charges, make written recommendations, and then disband.
Section 3
After hearing the report of the Committee of Inquiry, the Club, or leading Party body having jurisdiction, shall have the right to decide by a two-thirds vote upon any disciplinary measure, including expulsion.
No action, up to, and including, dropping of membership, may be taken against a Member/Comrade without notifying them of the action and the reason for it.
Higher bodies must be informed of all disciplinary actions above a reprimand. There shall be an automatic review of all expulsions by the next higher Party body. The General Secretary and the Party Chair must be part of that decision.
Disciplinary measures taken by leading committees shall be reported to the member’s Club.
Section 4
Any member or committee that has been subject to disciplinary action has the right to appeal to the next higher body up to the National Congress, whose decision shall be final.
The District Committee, Central Committee, or other leading committee shall set a hearing within sixty (60) days from the date of receipt of the appeal and notify the appellant of the hearing date.
When, however, the appeal is to a District or National Congress, the appeal shall be acted upon by the Congress following the filing of the appeal.
Section 5
The Politburo in consultation with the Central Committee, may establish a Party Review Committee, and appoint members to serve on this Review Committee. District Organizers are recognized as possible members of the Committee, which will make recommendations to the Politburo as to how to correct the deficiencies and shortcomings in the work of the Party.
An Ad Hoc Review Committee, established by the Central Committee or Politburo, may be assigned to help comrades to overcome weaknesses, shortcomings and personal antagonisms.
ARTICLE XI — INITIATION FEES, DUES, AND ASSESSMENTS
Section 1
Initiation fees and dues shall be paid according to rates fixed by the National Congress. Between National Congresses, the Central Committee may revise the rates of initiation fees and dues by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee.
Section 2
The income from dues and initiation fees shall be apportioned among the various subdivisions of the Party as determined by the National Congress.
Section 3
Special assessments may be levied by the National Congress or by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee. All local or district assessments are prohibited except by special permission of the Central Committee.
ARTICLE XII — AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended by a two-third majority vote of any regular or special National Congress, or by membership referendum initiated by the Central Committee or one-third of the district organizations. It may also be amended by a three-fourths yea vote by majority of the District Committees. This vote must be preceded by a minimum of a two-month discussion period in the Party organizations.
ARTICLE XIII — Authority
The PCUSA is not responsible for any political document, policy, book, article, or any other expression of political opinion except such as are issued by authority of the National Congresses and the regularly constituted leadership of the Party.