Get Foreign Money Out of U.S. Elections Act
Sponsored By: Senator Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced
Summary
Keep foreign money out of U.S. elections. This bill would expand the ban on contributions and election spending by foreign nationals to cover domestic business entities that are foreign-controlled, foreign-influenced, or foreign-owned and add fast certification and record rules for election-related payments.
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- Businesses and owners: For-profit entities would have to determine beneficial ownership using state law and SEC-style rules and file a Certification of Compliance signed by the CEO within 7 days after any contribution or election-related spending. The bill treats an entity as foreign-controlled at 50% ownership and as foreign-influenced at thresholds like 1% ownership or 5% aggregate foreign ownership.
- Campaigns and committees: Recipients must get and keep a copy of the certification and may rely on a good-faith certification. The ban would also cover disbursements for state and local ballot initiatives and payments to committees that accept noncompliant donations.
- Corporate political funds: Separate segregated funds established by corporations must certify during the year that fund managers are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, that no foreign national participates in decisionmaking, and that foreign board members abstain on fund matters.
- Accountability and timing: The CEO or highest-ranking official must certify under penalty of perjury after due inquiry. The rules would take effect 180 days after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Ban on foreign-owned business political money
If enacted, the bill would expand the foreign‑money ban to cover many business entities. A firm would count as foreign‑controlled if an overseas foreign national owns 50% or more. It would also cover firms where one foreign national owns 1% or more, or where two or more foreign nationals together own 5% or more, or where foreigners can direct political decisions. The rule would apply to federal, state, and local elections, including ballot initiatives and committees that accept noncompliant donations. The bill would define "business entity" to include corporations, LLCs, partnerships, trusts, and similar for‑profit firms, and would require businesses to determine beneficial owners under State law or, for some public companies, federal rules.
CEO certification and stricter corporate PACs
If enacted, a business's CEO or top official would have to file a signed Certification of Compliance with the FEC within 7 days after any covered political payment. The signer would certify under penalty of perjury that after due inquiry the entity was not a foreign national on the payment date. Recipients could rely in good faith on those certifications and could only use funds for covered activities if they get and separately track a valid certification. Corporate separate segregated funds would also have to certify each year that fund managers are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, that no foreign national participates in decisionmaking, that no foreign national gives recommendations, and that foreign board members abstain from related votes.
New rules begin 180 days after enactment
If enacted, the bill would make the Section 2 amendments take effect 180 days after enactment. This would happen even if the Federal Election Commission has not adopted implementing regulations. The fixed start date would make the new ownership, certification, and reporting rules enforceable nationwide on that schedule.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
VT • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov