Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act
Sponsored By: Representative Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
Introduced
Summary
Requires mandatory post-election disbursement of unspent campaign funds by candidate committees and leadership PACs and adds certification duties for former candidates who become lobbyists or foreign agents. It narrows how leftover campaign money may be used and limits payments to relatives.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Ex-candidates who lobby must certify
If enacted, anyone who ran for federal office and later registers as a lobbyist or as an agent of a foreign principal would have to certify, under penalty of perjury, that their campaign committees and leadership PACs follow the bill’s post‑election fund rules. This would apply to registration filings on or after the general election date in November 2026.
New limits on leftover campaign funds
The bill would set strict post‑election rules for campaign committees and leadership PACs. They would have to spend or give away leftover money by the first of three dates: the end of a two‑year period tied to the next state filing deadline, the day the candidate starts lobbying that requires federal registration, or the day the candidate becomes a registered foreign agent. Committees would first pay their bills. Any remaining money could only be returned to donors, given to charities listed in the tax code, or transferred to party committees. Payments to relatives would be banned unless they are for reported committee expenses. These limits would govern the permitted uses of contributions. If the candidate qualified to run in the next election before the two‑year period starts, the committee could keep funds. The changes would start with the November 2026 general election and later races.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Cosponsors
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov