Overview

• Replaces Federal Election Commission (FEC) with Federal Election Administration (FEA)
• New agency would enforce campaign finance laws with enhanced independence
• Status: Introduced January 11, 2007, referred to House Committee on House Administration, no further action taken

Who does this affect?

• Main groups: Federal election regulators, political campaigns, candidates for federal office, political parties, campaign donors
• Who benefits: Reformers seeking stronger campaign finance enforcement; complainants who could recover up to $1,000 in costs if violations found
• Who loses: Current FEC commissioners (would be removed from office); entities subject to stricter enforcement
• Teen impact score: 2/10 (structural government reform with no direct teen connection)

What This Bill Does

• Creates 3-member FEA (down from 6-member FEC) with Chair serving 10-year term, other members serving 6-year terms
• Requires members have 5+ years law enforcement experience; prohibits members from same political party or affiliated with same party within prior 5 years
• Bars appointees who were candidates, elected officials, party officers, or Schedule C political appointees within 4 years of nomination
• Grants FEA independent litigation authority (can sue without Attorney General approval)
• Exempts FEA budget requests from Office of Management and Budget review
• Establishes civil penalties up to $5,000 or amount of violation (whichever greater); knowing/willful violations up to $10,000 or 200% of amount
• Sets criminal penalties: $25,000+ violations = up to 5 years prison; $2,000-$25,000 violations = up to 1 year prison
• Requires advisory opinions within 60 days (20 days if requested within 60 days of election)
• Allows random audits of up to 3% of candidate committees annually
• Mandates GAO examination of Justice Department's enforcement of campaign finance criminal provisions within 1 year
• Transition takes effect 6 months after enactment; transfers all FEC functions, property, records, and personnel to FEA

Legislative Status

• Introduced in 110th Congress (2007-2008)
• Referred to House Committee on House Administration on January 11, 2007
• No committee hearings, markups, or floor votes occurred
• Bill died when Congress adjourned

In short

• Abolishes Federal Election Commission and creates Federal Election Administration with fewer members but stronger powers.
• New agency would operate independently from White House budget oversight and Attorney General control.
• Members must have law enforcement backgrounds and face strict political activity restrictions.
• Enforcement includes civil penalties, criminal prosecution, and random audits of campaign committees.
• Bill never advanced beyond initial committee referral in 2007.

Why should I care?

This bill addresses a long-standing debate about how America enforces campaign finance laws. The Federal Election Commission has faced criticism for gridlock because its 6-member structure often splits 3-3 along party lines, preventing enforcement actions. By creating a smaller, more independent agency with professional law enforcement backgrounds required, sponsors aimed to strengthen oversight of money in politics. The bill's failure illustrates how difficult structural reforms are to pass, even when problems are widely acknowledged. Campaign finance enforcement affects whether donation limits are followed, whether foreign money enters elections, and whether the public can trust that candidates follow the rules. For families, this connects to whether elections are fair and whether wealthy donors have outsized influence compared to ordinary voters.