Sponsors (5)
The bill increases transparency and legal accountability for leftover campaign and PAC funds—especially when former candidates become lobbyists or foreign agents—reducing misuse and foreign‑influence risks, but it also increases compliance burdens, legal exposure, and restrictions that limit committee flexibility and may burden small campaigns and some family‑run vendors.
Taxpayers and the public: former candidates who register as lobbyists or foreign agents must certify disposal of leftover campaign and leadership PAC funds, increasing post‑campaign transparency about where money goes.
Donors and taxpayers: the bill creates statutory accountability that deters misuse of unexpended campaign funds by imposing legal checks when individuals transition to lobbying or foreign‑agent roles.
The public and DOJ: establishing enforceable records when former candidates act for foreign principals strengthens DOJ oversight and helps deter use of committee funds for foreign influence.
Former candidates, small campaigns, and PACs: the bill imposes additional compliance and disclosure paperwork and a perjury certification that raises legal exposure, increasing administrative costs and potential defensive legal expenses.
Authorized committees and leadership PACs: stricter limits on permissible uses of leftover funds (returns to donors, charity, transfers to party committees) reduce flexibility to reserve funds for staff, operations, or future campaign needs.
Candidates who become lobbyists or foreign agents: requirements to quickly dispose of committee funds can force rushed refunds or transfers that complicate transitions and administrative handling.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires leftover campaign and leadership PAC funds to be disbursed under specific rules and makes former candidates certify compliance when registering as lobbyists or FARA agents, effective Nov 2026.
Official title: To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require authorized committees and leadership PACs of candidates for election for Federal office to disburse funds remaining unexpended after the date of the election involved, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Kathy Castor · Last progress July 29, 2025
Requires candidate authorized committees and leadership PACs to disburse remaining campaign funds by set deadlines and limits how leftover funds may be used, and makes former candidates who register as lobbyists or foreign agents certify under penalty of perjury that their committees complied. New rules phase in for the November 2026 general election; lobbying and FARA certification requirements apply to registrations filed on or after that election.