S. 3991 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 4, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryTightens rules on political spending and ads
This bill aims to shine a light on money flowing into elections. It expands the rules that stop foreign nationals from spending money on campaigns and political ads, including new digital communications and ballot measures. It also requires organizations that run political advertisements to report who their biggest donors are, and it makes organizations report large campaign spending to the government quickly.
How it affects you
If you care about knowing where campaign money comes from, this bill would require more transparency from political groups and campaigns about their spending and donors. If you work in political advertising or campaign finance, you'd need to follow new reporting requirements. For most people, the main effect is potentially more information available about who's funding political ads and campaigns you see.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 4, 2026)
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2026 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2026
This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements.
Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda.
The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections.
Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle.
The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 3991
A BILL
DISCLOSE Act of 2026
Sponsor: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) · Introduced Mar 4, 2026 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 4, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.”
Sections
Title I — Closing Loopholes Allowing Spending by Foreign Nationals in Elections · 5
- Sec. 101Clarification of application of foreign money ban to certain disbursements and activitiesNo change
- Sec. 102Study and report on illicit foreign money in Federal electionsNo change
- Sec. 103Prohibition on contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with ballot initiatives and referendaNo change
- Sec. 104Disbursements and activities subject to foreign money banNo change
- Sec. 105Prohibiting establishment of corporation to conceal election contributions and donations by foreign nationalsNo change
Title II — Reporting of Campaign-Related Disbursements · 6
- Sec. 201Reporting of campaign-related disbursementsNo change
- Sec. 202Reporting of Federal judicial nomination disbursementsNo change
- Sec. 203Coordination with FinCENNo change
- Sec. 204Application of foreign money ban to disbursements for campaign-related disbursements consisting of covered transfersNo change
- Sec. 205Sense of Congress regarding implementationNo change
- Sec. 206Effective dateNo change