Legislation

This page provides access to federal campaign finance legislation, including Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) amendments and legislative recommendations to Congress.

Selected amendments to FECA

• 1979 FECA and amendments legislative history (PDF | 52 MB)
• 1976 FECA and amendments legislative history (PDF | 136 MB)
• 1974 FECA and amendments legislative history (PDF | 181 MB)
• 1971 FECA and amendment legislative history (PDF | 135 MB)

S. 2747, Administrative Fine Program extension

• Pub. Law No. 118-26, signed into law December 19, 2023.
• Revised 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(4)(C)(v) to extend the Administrative Fine Program (AFP) for ten years through reports covering 2033.
• Under the AFP, the Commission can impose civil money penalties for late and unfiled campaign finance disclosure reports on the basis of a published schedule of penalties.

H.R. 7120, Administrative Fine Program extension

• Pub. Law No. 115-386, signed into law December 21, 2018
• Revised 52 U.S.C. § 30109(a)(4)(C)(v) to extend the Administrative Fine Program (AFP) through reports covering 2023
• Under the AFP, the Commission can impose civil money penalties for late and unfiled campaign finance disclosure reports on the basis of a published schedule of penalties.

H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019

• H.R. 5895, Pub. Law No. 115-244
• Section 102 added 52 U.S.C. § 30102(g) to make the Federal Election Commission the official point of entry for all designations, reports and statements filed under the FECA. This provision changes the point of entry for reports filed by Senate committees and makes such committees subject to the electronic filing requirements applicable to other types of filers.

H.R. 83, The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015

• H.R. 83, Pub. Law No. 113-235
• Revised 52 U.S.C. § 30116 (formerly 2 U.S.C. §441a(a)) to enable national party committees to establish accounts to defray certain expenses incurred with respect to presidential nominating conventions, election recounts and other legal proceedings, and headquarters buildings.

H.R. 2019, The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act

• H.R. 2019, Pub. Law No. 113-94
• Revised 26 U.S.C. § 9008 to eliminate taxpayer financing of political party conventions and reprogram savings to provide for a 10-year pediatric research initiative.

H.R. 3487, Administrative Fine Program extension

• Pub. Law No. 113-72, signed into law December 2013
• Revised 2 U.S.C. § 434 (now 52 U.S.C. § 30104) to extend the Administrative Fine Program through reports covering 2018.
• Under the AFP, the Commission can impose civil money penalties for late and unfiled campaign finance disclosure reports on the basis of a published schedule of penalties.

H.R. 6296, Administrative Fine Program extension

• Pub. Law No. 110-433, signed into law October 2008
• Revised 2 U.S.C. § 434 (now 52 U.S.C. § 30104) to extend the Administrative Fine Program to include reporting periods that begin on or after January 1, 2000 and that end on or before December 31, 2013.
• Under the AFP, the Commission can impose civil money penalties for late and unfiled campaign finance disclosure reports on the basis of a published schedule of penalties.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA)

• Pub. Law No. 110-81

HLOGA includes two major provisions for political committees:

• Revisions to 2 U.S.C. §434 (Section 204 of the bill) (now 52 U.S.C. §30104), concerning disclosure of bundled contributions
• Revisions to 2 U.S.C. §439(a) (Section 601 of the bill) (now 52 U.S.C. §30114), concerning restrictions on the use of campaign funds for noncommercial air travel

Section 721 of the 2006 Appropriations Act

• Pub. Law No. 109-115, signed into law November 2005
• Section 721 revised 2 U.S.C. § 434 (now 52 U.S.C. §30104) to extend the sunset date of the Administrative Fine Program to include most reports that cover activity between July 14, 2000 and December 31, 2008.
• Under the AFP, the Commission can impose civil money penalties for late and unfiled campaign finance disclosure reports on the basis of a published schedule of penalties.

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005

• Pub. Law No. 108-447, signed into law December 8, 2004
• Contains revisions to 2 U.S.C. §432(e)(3)(B) (now 52 U.S.C. §30101(e)(3)(B)), contained in Division H, Title V, Sec. 525 of H.R. 4818, concerning contributions made by a federal campaign to another federal campaign.
• Contains revisions to 2 U.S.C. §439a(a) (now 52 U.S.C. §30114(a)), contained in Division H, Title V, Sec. 532 of H.R. 4818, concerning the use of campaign funds.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA)

• Pub. Law No. 107-155, signed into law March 27, 2002
• This campaign finance legislation, enacted in 2002, is often referred to as the McCain-Feingold law. BCRA includes several provisions designed to end the use of nonfederal, or "soft money" (money raised outside the limits and prohibitions of federal campaign finance law) for activity affecting federal elections.

FEC Record summaries

Press releases

Legislative recommendations

Archive of legislative recommendations

The Commission did not submit legislative recommendations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2019 or 2020.

Related topics

This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public.

The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.

Federal Election Commission

This information is produced and disseminated at U.S. taxpayer expense.