Bill follows up on the Federal Election Commission’s top bipartisan legislative recommendation to Congress

December 13, 2023 - WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections and campaign finance law, have announced that their bipartisan legislation to improve the accountability of our campaign finance system passed the House today and is headed to the President's desk to be signed into law. The bill previously passed the Senate in September.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) 

This bill would reauthorize the Federal Election Commission (FEC)’s program to issue administrative fines for late or missing financial disclosure reports for 10 years. Extending this program before its expiration at the end of this year follows up on the FEC’s highest priority bipartisan legislative recommendation in its 2022 annual report to Congress.

“Transparency is fundamental to our democracy, which is why it is critical that campaign finance disclosure requirements are followed,” said Klobuchar. “I’m glad my bipartisan bill with Senator Fischer has passed so that this essential program that encourages accurate and timely reporting continues.”

“This bipartisan legislation will improve accountability and transparency of our campaign finance system. Our bill will extend the FEC’s administrative fine program and ensure that the agency’s rules are followed. I’m glad to see this measure heading to the President’s desk,” said Fischer.

Since the FEC’s administrative fine program was first created in 1999, Congress has passed bipartisan legislation six times to extend the program before today, most recently in 2018. The FEC has described the administrative fine program as “one of the most cost-effective and successful programs in its history,” with the number of late financial disclosure reports decreasing from around 21 percent before the program’s inception to less than 10 percent today. Representatives Bryan Steil (R-WI) and Joe Morelle (D-NY), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, led a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar