Legislative Background on Campaign Finance
Recent Action in Congress
On January 21, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that corporations, nonprofit organizations, and labor unions can use money from their own treasuries to fund political advertisements and influence Federal elections. The decision reversed previous interpretations of election law and is expected to have significant consequences for the 2010 mid-term elections. Campaign finance reform advocates in Congress responded with the introduction of legislation designed to mitigate impact of the ruling. Introduction of the DISCLOSE Act. In late April, Representative Chris Van Hollen (MD-D) and Senator Charles Schumer (NY-D) introduced House and Senate versions of legislation titled the…
