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House of Representatives

Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act

2026-07-13 Issue 113 Showing 1–5 of 5

A bill to close a loophole allowing foreign nationals to contribute money in U.S. ballot initiatives and referendums. Both parties agreed this shouldn't be allowed and broadly supported the bill, with some discussion of the importance of American elections being decided by American citizens only. No real disagreement.

Official Congressional Record ↗

Bryan Steil

Republican

“I want to pass a bill about election rules. This bill will stop people from other countries giving money to ballot initiatives and referenda. I don't want foreigners to interfere in our elections.”

Bryan Steil

Republican

“I want a bill to pass. It will stop people from other countries giving money to ballot initiatives and referenda. Right now they can do that. It's crazy but true. A group called Sixteen Thirty Fund funneled money into campaigns in Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio. We should all agree that's bad. Our elections should be for Americans only. I want all my colleagues to support this bill. I yield back my time.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3535, the Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act, introduced by my friend, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. U.S. elections should be for U.S. citizens only, and only U.S. citizens should be participating in and donating in political causes. Today, gaps in our existing laws undermine this principle and actually permit foreign actors to fund U.S. political activities. It is true. Current law allows foreign funding to infiltrate State and local ballot initiatives, referenda, and recall elections. As we have seen in recent history, those races can attract millions of dollars in outside spending. Some of that has been foreign money, and right now that is completely legal. Shadowy groups, like Sixteen Thirty Fund, funneled millions of foreign-linked dollars into ballot initiatives and campaigns in States, including Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio. It sounds crazy, but it is true, Madam Speaker. We should all be able to agree that foreign funds should not be influencing or financing ballot measures, referenda, or recall elections. Current law, as we know, already prohibits foreign money in Federal elections, and this bill broadens that nonpartisan, commonsense prohibition to similar State and local elections. Madam Speaker, elections should be decided by Americans, and they should not be influenced or funded by foreign nationals. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and ensure American elections remain for American citizens only, and I reserve the balance of my time

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Bryan Steil

Republican 5:10 p.m.

“There is a big hole in our laws. People from other countries can give money to some of our elections. They can't give money to people running for office. But they can give money to ballot initiatives and recalls. Those are important too. That's bad. This bill will fix it. I thank the sponsor. We need to keep foreign money out of U.S. elections.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this 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. While 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. Closing out this gap and making sure that foreign funds are not finding their way into U.S. elections is absolutely essential. 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. There 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, but right now the underlying law does not ban that for purposes of ballot initiatives, local ballot initiatives, referenda, or recall elections. This legislation fixes that very important point. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Brian K. Fitzpatrick

Republican 5:10 p.m.

“I want this bill to pass. It will close a loophole. Foreign money can influence some elections now. That is bad. State and local votes decide many things. This bill will keep foreign money out of those votes. This is not a partisan issue. All sides should want this. Our elections are for Americans, not foreign interests. I thank my partners on this bill. It is common sense. We need to protect our elections.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 3535, the Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act. Madam Speaker, this legislation is built on a simple principle: American elections should be decided by the American people, not by the influence of foreign actors. The Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act closes a dangerous and longstanding loophole in our current election system. While current Federal law already prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to candidates running for office, there remains gaps when it comes to State and local ballot measures. Ballot initiatives, referendum, and recall elections often determine major public policy questions that directly affect American communities, yet existing law does not clearly prohibit foreign money from being used to influence these outcomes. This bill closes that loophole. Madam Speaker, this is not a partisan issue. Whether the issue on the ballot is one you support or oppose, every American should agree that the outcome should reflect the will of the American voters, not the financial influence of foreign interests. Our elections and ballot measures exist to give the American people a voice, not outside actors with agendas that may conflict with our national interests. The Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act simply extends an existing safeguard to ensure that all taxpayer-funded elections receive the same protection from foreign influence. I thank Congressman Golden for his partnership on this legislation as well as Chairman Steil and Ranking Member Morelle for their engagement on this legislation. I urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense bill to strengthen the integrity of our electoral system and ensure that our democratic process remains accountable to the citizens that it serves.

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Bryan Steil

Republican 5:10 p.m.

“I am happy this bill will pass. I thank my colleagues for working on it. All members should vote yes. That is all.”

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