Broad coalition urges Minibus conferees to support provision to increase political transparency and save taxpayers money

Issue One coalition letter to Minibus conferees

Issue One was joined today by 22 other organizations from across the ideological spectrum in urging all members of the Minibus Appropriations Conference Committee to support a provision in the FY19 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill that would require Senate candidates to join all other federal candidates in electronically filing their campaign finance reports.

This provision — based on stand-alone, bipartisan legislation that is supported by a majority of sitting senators — would enhance government transparency and reduce bureaucratic red tape while saving taxpayers an estimated $898,000 a year.

Here’s an excerpt of this new letter:

“While House candidates, presidential candidates and political action committees have been required to electronically file their campaign finance reports for more than a decade, Senate candidates must still file paper copies of their reports. Because the FEC must still make the information in those paper reports publicly available, these documents undergo an inefficient bureaucratic process that would make Rube Goldberg proud …

Now is the time for the Senate to take this technological leap forward. Doing so would modernize the outdated rules governing Senate campaigns and would save Americans millions of dollars each election cycle. The e-filing provision is the right mix of smart policy and good politics. We urge you to ensure that this provision remains in the final FY19 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill.”

The 23 organizations that signed this new letter are as follows: