The Federal Election Campaign Act's electronic-filing requirement would expand under this bill to cover anyone who makes electioneering communications, not just those who make direct campaign expenditures. Groups and individuals paying for political ads that mention a candidate near an election would now have to file spending reports online instead of on paper, similar to what campaigns already do. Separately, political committees such as campaign and party committees would gain the option to pay expenses by methods other than a paper check, including electronic transfers or debit cards. The Federal Election Commission, which administers these rules, would oversee the shift for filers currently exempt from electronic filing. Supporters say the changes update decades-old paperwork rules to match how campaigns and committees actually handle money and communications today.
Transparency & Accountability
- Electronic filing mandate — Extended to electioneering-communication spenders, beyond direct expenditures
Congressional Summary
FEC Administrative Improvements ActThis bill expands electronic filing requirements and allows political committees to make disbursements by methods other than check.First, current law requires the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to make electronic filing mandatory for political committees and others required to file with the FEC who, in a calendar year, have, or have reason to expect to have, total contributions or expenditures exceeding a threshold amount set by the FEC (which is currently $50,000). Many independent expenditure reports are also subject to mandatory electronic filing. However, the current mandatory electronic filing provision does not apply to certain reports. This bill expands the types of reports that are required to be filed electronically to include electioneering communications (subject to the threshold amount).Second, current law requires political committees to maintain at least one campaign depository account and make all disbursements (other than petty cash disbursements) by check drawn on such accounts. This bill removes the requirement that disbursements must be made by check drawn on campaign depository accounts. Therefore, the bill allows political committees to make disbursements in other forms (e.g., credit or debit cards).
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2026-05-12
- Date Added
- 2026-07-10
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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