To improve the enforcement of campaign finance laws, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Feb. 29 cosponsored a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would reform the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).
“I am proud to lead this transparency initiative alongside my bipartisan colleagues and to continue to lead the charge in Congress to restore Americans’ faith in their elections,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said after introducing the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act, H.R. 7497, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA). U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on Feb. 29 sponsored the same-named S. 3844 in his chamber.
If enacted, the bill would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to reduce the number of members of the FEC from six to five, revise the method of selection and terms of service of FEC members, and distribute the powers of the FEC between the chair and the remaining members, according to the congressional record bill summary.
Due to its current partisan split among its six commissioners, the FEC’s deadlock on key decisions has worsened with unresolved cases rising from 4.2 percent in 2006 to nearly 40 percent in 2016, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
“Unfortunately, in recent years, the FEC has become dysfunctional, jeopardizing enforcement of the rules,” said Rep. Kilmer. “This bill is about getting the referee back on the field. Meaningful, substantial reforms at the commission need to happen to get back to weeding out campaign finance abuse and holding those who break the rules accountable.”
The Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act would help resolve such issues and improve enforcement by reforming the FEC’s leadership and streamlining its processes, the summary says.
Specifically, the bill would reduce the number of FEC commissioners to five, including two from each major party and one independent, to prevent deadlock and align with the structure of most independent agencies, says the summary, and would introduce a Blue-Ribbon Advisory Panel led by the president to suggest FEC nominees.
“In order for our democracy to function, voters must be able to have confidence in our electoral institutions,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Our bipartisan legislation will require necessary reforms to the way the Federal Election Commission operates and ensure that it does not remain yet another example of partisan gridlock.”