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Current Action - August 8, 2008 End the U.S. Senate Exemption for Electronic Filing of Campaign Contributions U.S. Senators do not have to file campaign disclosure information electronically. This self-serving exemption is a departure from what is now standard practice for candidates for federal office. Candidates for President and for the House of Representatives already must file electronically. It can take months for Senate records to be available for public scrutiny. Contributions made after July 1 this year, for example, may not be available until after Election Day, depriving citizens of key information about who is funding lawmakers' campaigns. MAPLight.org data will become even better when we can reveal money/votes data closer to the date the contributions are made - once the Senate starts filing electronically. You can help make this a reality with a quick phone call to support Senate bill S. 223. Please help us shine a light on Senate campaign fundraising by contacting your Senators and sharing this information with your friends. |
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| Action | ||||||
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Our friends at the Sunlight Foundation have created a site specifically to pass S. 223. 1. Go to http://pass223.com 2. Choose your state and find out which Senator needs a call. 3. Make a five minute call (script provided) 4. Log the call on the site 5. Forward the link to http://pass223.com to people you know - especially those in states where one or both Senators have not yet co-sponsored the bill. |
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Action Resources: |
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In the following states, both Senators have already cosponsored S. 223:
If you live in any other state it is especially important to contact both Senators! If you know people who live in any other state, please forward this alert to them. |
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| Background | ||||||
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Senate bill S.223 was introduced by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) at the beginning of this Congress. This measure would require Senators to disclose their campaign contributions electronically. It has 45 bipartisan co-sponsors and no public opponents, but is being held up by a "poison pill" amendment that Senator Ensign (R-NV) want to add. On August 5th, 2008 a coalition of organizations launched a website to help register public support for the bill. The new tool, developed by the Sunlight Foundation, may be viewed at http://pass223.com. The Campaign Finance Institute - bill history and press coverage of the issue. The Center for Responsive Politics - for more information on how this bill helps improve campaign finance disclosure. |
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Support MAPLight.org |
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Join us is bringing in a new era of transparency, accountability and reform. Please take a moment to make a financial contribution and help keep MAPLight.org free and accessible to everyone. |
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