PRIA Logo™
119-hr-8721119th CongressWALLET

Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act

Sponsored By: Representative Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]

In Committee

Summary

This bill would strengthen the ban on foreign money in U.S. elections. It expands the activities covered, adds new reporting and enforcement steps, defines indirect contributions, and creates donor privacy rules for tax-exempt groups.

Show full summary
  • Would bar foreign-funded money from paying for voter registration, ballot collection, voter identification, get-out-the-vote activity, certain public communications that name a political party, and the administration of elections.
  • Campaigns, political committees, and outside spenders would have to certify under penalty of perjury that contributions and independent expenditures do not violate the foreign-money ban, and the bill makes it illegal to knowingly aid or facilitate such violations.
  • Donors to 501(c) tax-exempt organizations would gain limits on federal collection and public disclosure of donor identification, with exceptions for the IRS, the Federal Election Commission, congressional clerks, and lawful court or administrative orders. Willful disclosure by federal officers would carry fines up to $250,000, up to 5 years in prison, and removal from office.
  • Would define "indirect contributions" to catch funds routed with instructions that lead to covered activities and add an enforcement process that includes a perjury-certified defense, limits on investigative scope, and a procedure to quash overly broad subpoenas.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Donor privacy protections for tax-exempt groups

This bill would stop federal agencies from collecting or publicly revealing who gave money to most 501(c) tax-exempt groups. It would not cover organizations described in section 527. Exceptions would include lawful IRS actions under sections 6033/6104 as applicable, the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House acting under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, lawful FEC actions, disclosures authorized by the organization, and lawful court or administrative orders. The bill would make willful, unauthorized disclosure by a current or former federal officer or employee a felony punishable by up to $250,000, up to 5 years in prison, or both, and would require dismissal from office for a convicted current officer. These rules would apply to donations made on or after the date of enactment.

Ban on foreign funding for election activity

This bill would expand the ban on foreign national donations for U.S. elections. It would bar donations for voter registration, ballot collection, voter ID, get-out-the-vote efforts, public communications that name a Federal, State, or local political party, and election administration. Transfers made with a designation, instruction, or encumbrance that causes any part to pay for those activities would count as indirect contributions. It would also make it unlawful to knowingly aid or facilitate these violations. These rules would apply to donations or amounts provided on or after the date of enactment.

Federal election reporting and enforcement rules

This bill would add new procedural rules for Federal Election Commission actions and FECA reports. People accused in an FEC complaint could submit a sworn certification under penalty of perjury saying no violation occurred, and the FEC would have to consider it. Investigations after a "reason to believe" finding would be limited to the factual matters needed to decide the issue, and a person could ask a U.S. district court to quash subpoenas that go beyond that scope. The bill would also require sworn certifications under penalty of perjury on committee reports, independent expenditure reports, and electioneering communication reports. The investigation limits and most rules would apply to donations or amounts provided on or after enactment, and the reporting certifications would apply to FECA reports filed on or after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]

WI • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

    IL • R

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 5/15/2026

  • Rep. Barrett, Tom [R-MI-7]

    MI • R

    Sponsored 6/2/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation