Both sides have signed this (Bill Ranking)
H.R. 8738 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)
4 members · Left 2 · Center 0 · Right 2 (Bill Ranking)
| Sponsor | Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. (D-NY) (Introduced 05/12/2026) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Voting Record | Lean left · DW-NOMINATE -0.33 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking) |
| Support |
LLLCLRR support across the spectrum: 4 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once |
| Committees | Senate - Rules and Administration Committee; House - Committee on House Administration; House - Committee on House Administration |
| Latest Action | 07/14/2026 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. |
| Roll Call Votes | There have been no roll call votes |
| Source | view on congress.gov → |
Introduced in House (05/12/2026)
FEC Administrative Improvements Act
This bill expands electronic filing requirements and allows political committees to make disbursements by methods other than check.
First, current law requires the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to make electronic filing mandatory for political committees and others required to file with the FEC who, in a calendar year, have, or have reason to expect to have, total contributions or expenditures exceeding a threshold amount set by the FEC (which is currently $50,000). Many independent expenditure reports are also subject to mandatory electronic filing. However, the current mandatory electronic filing provision does not apply to certain reports. This bill expands the types of reports that are required to be filed electronically to include electioneering communications (subject to the threshold amount).
Second, current law requires political committees to maintain at least one campaign depository account and make all disbursements (other than petty cash disbursements) by check drawn on such accounts. This bill removes the requirement that disbursements must be made by check drawn on campaign depository accounts. Therefore, the bill allows political committees to make disbursements in other forms (e.g., credit or debit cards).
119 HR 8738 EH: FEC Administrative Improvements Act U.S. House of Representatives text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS2d Session H. R. 8738
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check.
1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the FEC Administrative Improvements Act.
2.Requiring electronic filingSection 304(a)(11)(A)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(11)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting or makes electioneering communications after expenditures.
3.Permitting political committees to make disbursements by methods other than checkSection 302(h)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)) is amended by striking except by check drawn on such accounts in accordance with this section and inserting except from such accounts. Passed the House of Representatives July 13, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.
119 HR 8738 IH: FEC Administrative Improvements Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-05-12 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8738IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESMay 12, 2026Mr. Morelle (for himself, Ms. Lee of Florida, Mr. Steil, and Ms. Sewell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House AdministrationA BILLTo amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the FEC Administrative Improvements Act.
2.Requiring electronic filingSection 304(a)(11)(A)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(11)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting or makes electioneering communications after expenditures.3.Permitting political committees to make disbursements by methods other than checkSection 302(h)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)) is amended by striking except by check drawn on such accounts in accordance with this section and inserting except from such accounts.
119 HR 8738 : FEC Administrative Improvements Act U.S. House of Representatives 2026-07-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IIB119th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 8738IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJuly 14, 2026Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and AdministrationAN ACTTo amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the FEC Administrative Improvements Act.
2.Requiring electronic filingSection 304(a)(11)(A)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(11)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting or makes electioneering communications after expenditures.3.Permitting political committees to make disbursements by methods other than checkSection 302(h)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)) is amended by striking except by check drawn on such accounts in accordance with this section and inserting except from such accounts. Passed the House of Representatives July 13, 2026.Kevin F. McCumber,Clerk.
The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.
| Date | Chamber | All Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 05/12/2026 | Library of Congress | Introduced in House |
| 05/12/2026 | Library of Congress | Introduced in House |
| 05/12/2026 | House floor actions | Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. |
| 05/14/2026 | House committee actions | Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held |
| 05/14/2026 | House committee actions | Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 11 - 0. |
| 07/13/2026 | House floor actions | Mr. Steil moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. |
| 07/13/2026 | House floor actions | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4401-4402) |
| 07/13/2026 | House floor actions | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8738. |
| 07/13/2026 | Library of Congress | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4401-4402) |
| 07/13/2026 | House floor actions | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4401-4402) |
| 07/13/2026 | House floor actions | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| 07/14/2026 | Senate | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. |
| Title Type | Title |
|---|---|
| Display Title | FEC Administrative Improvements Act |
| Official Title as Introduced | To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check. |
| Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text | FEC Administrative Improvements Act |
| Short Title(s) as Passed House | FEC Administrative Improvements Act |
| Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text | To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check. |
| Short Title(s) as Introduced | FEC Administrative Improvements Act |
There are no amendments to this bill.
* = Original cosponsor
| Committee | Activity |
|---|---|
| Senate - Rules and Administration Committee | 07/14/2026 Referred To |
| House - Committee on House Administration | 05/14/2026 Markup By |
| House - Committee on House Administration | 05/12/2026 Referred To |
No related bill information was received for H.R. 8738.
Policy Area: Government Operations and Politics
All data on this page comes from our own database (legislation.congress_* tables), synced daily from the GPO govinfo BILLSTATUS and BILLS collections. Formatted after congress.gov; nothing is generated. Member placement is their DW-NOMINATE score (voteview.com, Lewis et al.) - a measurement of roll-call voting behavior, not our judgement. Buckets: Left below −0.50 · Lean Left to −0.25 · Center to +0.25 · Lean Right to +0.50 · Right above +0.50. The bill's Support meter aggregates the people who signed the bill - sponsor and current cosponsors, each counted once - nothing else.