Reining in Out-of-Control Campaign Spending

Every election cycle, voters get flooded with more and more TV ads, mail, calls, and texts that nobody likes. The balance between campaigning and serving in Congress is completely out of whack. No member of Congress should be pressured into spending more time raising money than actually serving the people they represent.

Meanwhile, massive out-of-state donors spend millions through independent political organizations to tip the scales in our elections.

That’s why I’m leading the charge to fix this broken system. We can protect free speech while reining in out-of-control campaign spending.

I’ve introduced two new bills as part of my plan to Reform Campaign Finance. These bills would cap congressional campaign funds and limit out-of-state fundraising by political action committees (PACs).

The Campaign Accountability and Parity (CAP) Act would put a cap on spending by congressional campaigns. The annual cap will match the amount of the average Members’ Representational Allowance — the allowance members of Congress use for their official government duties representing their constituents. The average is currently about $1.9 million each year.

The Outside Influence Prevention Act would require PACs that spend money to promote or attack a candidate to raise at least half of their dollars within the state where those dollars are spent.

My plan to Reform Campaign Finance also includes three other pieces of legislation, including a constitutional amendment to make clear that Congress and state legislatures have the authority to regulate campaign finance.

Reforming Campaign Finance is the fifth pillar of my Blueprint for a Better America, my plan to restore trust in our government and focus on the priorities of the American people. Learn more at barrett.house.gov/reform.