Sponsor
Tom Barrett
Representative · R-MI
Representative · R-MI
The bill aims to curb campaign spending and big-donor influence by capping principal committee expenditures, but it risks restricting candidates' ability to reach voters and will likely shift spending into other channels, creating enforcement and loophole challenges.
Taxpayers and the public: the bill caps principal campaign committee spending at about the average MRA amount, which should reduce total campaign spending and limit the outsized influence of very large donors.
Political committees and campaigns: the caps on principal committee spending are likely to push money into alternative channels or spur more complex off-cycle fundraising, creating loopholes and complicating enforcement.
House candidates (especially challengers): limits on principal committee spending will reduce how much campaigns can communicate with voters, potentially shrinking outreach, competition, and name recognition for candidates who depend on fundraising.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Caps annual spending by principal campaign committees of House candidates at the prior year's average Members’ Representational Allowance.
Official title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to establish an expenditure limit with respect to candidates for the House of Representatives.
Introduced July 16, 2026 by Tom Barrett · Last progress July 16, 2026
Caps the total annual spending by principal campaign committees of House candidates (Representatives, Delegates, and Resident Commissioners) at an amount equal to the average per-member Representational Allowance (MRA) from the prior year. Committees are prohibited from making or aggregating expenditures in a year that exceed that computed average.