Tester’s bill would increase transparency with quicker public reports and save taxpayers money
Following the Senate’s passage of Senator Jon Tester’s Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, ECU president Tiffany Muller released the following statement:
“In the best tradition of Montana’s reformers, Senator Tester is working to increase transparency and accountability so people know who is trying to influence elections. And as a dirt farmer, you can bet Senator Tester knows the value of saving taxpayer dollars on an outdated, bureaucratic rule.”
Unlike candidates running for the House of Representatives, U.S. Senate candidates are not obligated to file campaign finance reports electronically. Instead, most submit paper copy reports to the Secretary of the Senate, which delays public reports, and most importantly, keeps voters in the dark about who is funding their campaigns. Tester’s bipartisan bill would bring archaic Senate rules into the 21st century by requiring Senate candidates to electronically file campaign finance reports and add much needed transparency to campaign finance reporting.
According to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office, Tester’s electronic filing bill would save taxpayers $900,000 annually. The Federal Elections Commission, an agency tasked with upholding the integrity of U.S. elections, has praised electronic filing.
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