Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Bryan Steil

Republican on Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act 2026-07-13

269 words · 10 sentences · 14 clauses

Statement grade

A–

Average 89 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 6%Claims 64%Reasoning 20%Thanks 10%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Madam Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Madam Speaker, Claims · 69 wordsthis bill is broadly about making sure that American elections are for American citizens only. As my colleague Mr. Morelle noted, there is a significant, gaping hole in U.S. campaign finance laws, and, in particular, that is in relation to the measures that we have spoken about, about ballot initiatives, other essential pieces of American democracy that currently allow for foreign funding to come in and influence those campaigns. Reasoning · 54 wordsWhile that is not an office seeker for elected office, I think it is without a doubt that those elections and those ballot initiatives are in many ways equally essential to American democracy.Unearned certainty Closing out this gap and making sure that foreign funds are not finding their way into U.S. elections is absolutely essential. Thanks · 26 wordsI thank my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, for authoring this legislation, understanding the importance of making sure that we are rooting out foreign funds inside U.S. elections.Thanks Claims · 104 wordsThere is a basic premise and a basic principle, and in a particular period of time when it is so simple and so easy for funds to be transmitted into these political activities here in the United States of America, an individual outside of the United States could easily move funds in to influence a U.S. election. Of course, it is illegal for a donation to be made to an individual seeking Federal elected office, ¹but right now the underlying law does not ban that for purposes of ballot initiatives, local ballot initiatives, referenda, ²or recall elections.³ This legislation fixes that very important point. Madam Speaker, Procedure · 7 wordsI reserve the balance of my time.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 83

3 of 4 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself such time as I may consume.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I thank my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, for authoring this legislation, understanding the importance of making sure that we are rooting out foreign funds inside U.S. elections.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I reserve the balance of my time.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 4 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Nothing lost points.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 85

1 of 4 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “without a doubt”Asserts certainty in place of offering evidence for the claim about equal importance.

Claims · 3

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“it is illegal for a donation to be made to an individual seeking Federal elected office”Under U.S. law, it is illegal for a foreign national to make a donation in connection with an individual seeking Federal elected office.search
2“the underlying law does not ban that for purposes of ballot initiatives, local ballot initiatives, referenda”Current U.S. campaign finance law does not prohibit foreign nationals from making donations in connection with state or local ballot initiatives and referenda.search
3“or recall elections”Current U.S. campaign finance law does not prohibit foreign nationals from making donations in connection with recall elections.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15