Empower Act of 2021

3/15/2023, 7:00 PM

Empower Act of 2021

This bill modifies the system for the public financing of presidential primary and general elections.

The bill (1) increases the amount of matching funds for participating candidates by matching the first $200 of contributions by individuals to a candidate at a 6:1 ratio; (2) eliminates spending limits on participating candidates; (3) allows the national committee of a political party to make expenditures of up to $100 million in coordination with participating candidates; (4) requires all payments made to candidates, beginning with the 2028 presidential election, to be made from the Freedom From Influence Fund established by this bill; and (5) prohibits joint fundraising committees for any authorized committee of a candidate.

Congress
117

Number
S - 428

Introduced on
2021-02-24

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

2/24/2021

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Empower Act of 2021

This bill modifies the system for the public financing of presidential primary and general elections.

The bill (1) increases the amount of matching funds for participating candidates by matching the first $200 of contributions by individuals to a candidate at a 6:1 ratio; (2) eliminates spending limits on participating candidates; (3) allows the national committee of a political party to make expenditures of up to $100 million in coordination with participating candidates; (4) requires all payments made to candidates, beginning with the 2028 presidential election, to be made from the Freedom From Influence Fund established by this bill; and (5) prohibits joint fundraising committees for any authorized committee of a candidate.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to amend chapters 95 and 96 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform the system of public financing for Presidential election campaigns, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Taxation

Potential Impact
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government trust funds
Political parties and affiliation
Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary5/21/2021

Empower Act of 2021

This bill modifies the system for the public financing of presidential primary and general elections.

The bill (1) increases the amount of matching funds for participating candidates b...


Latest Action2/24/2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.