Bring Senate Campaigns into the 21st Century Sunlight!
Before an election, money pours into the coffer of candidates. And
because of online reporting, the press, citizens and you can see which lobby groups are trying hardest to buy their
lawmakers' favor.
Except
if the candidate is running for the Senate.
Election rules require every candidate for the House of Representatives and the Presidency to file finance reports
online with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Voters can immediately see which interest groups are supporting each
candidate.
Yet despite nearly seven years of grassroots efforts, the Senate has refused to subject itself to the same rule.
Senators file their campaign finance reports on paper, and then taxpayers pay a quarter of a million dollars for those
paper results to be entered into a computer, which is then shared with the public months after the contributions are
made and weeks after they filed. Members of the public go into the voting booth not knowing who has paid for the
campaigns of the people for which they are voting. In 2004, voters entered the voting booth while $53 million in
campaign contributions were still unreported.
Now there's a way to change this. It's time to bring some transparency to the Senate. Please tell your Senators
that you want them to support the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act (S. 223), a bill that would require FEC reports
to be filed online.
Dear Senator,
I am writing to ask for your support of a bill now pending in Congress that would require all Senators to file their campaign contribution reports electronically. S. 223, the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, would bring the Senate into the 21st century by creating greater transparency and help restore our faith in the openness of government. Members of the House of Representatives are already required to file their campaign reports electronically.
It's long past time for the Senate to do it too. It's time for the Senate to move into the modern era. Transparency will breed greater trust, and it will save the taxpayers money. Each year the paper filing process used by the Senate costs American taxpayers a quarter of a million dollars. According to the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute, every Senate office is already equipped with the necessary computers and software to make this change to electronic filing.
Currently an anonymous senator is blocking the passage of this bill because they want to add unnecessary amendments. The Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act deserves to be passed without amendment. Please show your support by cosponsoring the bill, S. 223, and opposing the effort to block clean passage.
The 110th Congress pledged to be "the most open and honest Congress in history." The passage of the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act helps ensure that promise.
[Your Comment]
Thank you for supporting your constituents,
[Your name]
[Your address]
