How We're Fighting Back -- Corporate Money in Politics

Fighting for The Disclose Act

By passing the Disclose (Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections) Act, Congress can take an important step toward bringing transparency into politics.

This legislation will make corporations, unions and other organizations take responsibility for their ads, just like candidates for Congress now must stand by ads financed by their campaigns. This legislation would ensure that shareholders and members know where their money is going, block government contractors from spending taxpayer dollars on political ads, prevent foreign countries from interfering in U.S. elections and tighten the rules that restrict “coordination” between corporate/outside group spending and candidates.

In 2010, the House passed a version of the Disclose Act with these provisions, but the measure was repeatedly blocked in the U.S. Senate.

Fighting for Constitutional Amendments

It’s time to make it clear that corporations are not people and overturn the Citizens United decision. House Joint Resolution 86/Senate Joint Resolution 29 and House Joint Resolutions 88 and 90 would reverse the Supreme Court decision and give Congress the authority to regulate campaign spending. House Joint Resolution 78 would clarify the authority of Congress to regulate political activities by any corporations.

Taking the Fight to the State Level

The flood of secret money in politics affects every level of government. We need state legislation that will restrict corporate spending in state elections, disclosure laws similar to the federal Disclose Act and state level constitutional amendments that will make it clear that corporations aren’t people on the state level either.

Fair Elections, Public Financing

We support legislation that will limit contributions to $100 per contributor, with qualifying candidates receiving federal funds. S. 750 and H.R. 1404 are moving forward to bring about fair election funding. Currently, 15 states have some form of public financing; that should be expanded.