The Independent View: The DISCLOSE Act of 2015 and S.J.Res.5

I recently wrote my Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), about campaign donation and spending transparency.

She answered:

Dear Mr. Drucker,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding disclosure of government contractors' political spending. I share your concerns about government transparency, and believe that we must further transparency and accountability through the disclosure of political spending by contractors, corporations, and organizations.

She then explained The DISCLOSE Act of 2015:

The Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act of 2015 (S.229), was introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on January 21, 2015. If passed, this bill would prescribe disclosure requirements for corporations, labor organizations, and certain other entities, including a political committee with an account established for the purpose of accepting donations or contributions that do not comply with the contribution limits or source prohibitions under the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. I am a proud cosponsor of this bill along with 41 of my colleagues.

And S.J.Res.5:

In addition to the DISCLOSE Act, I am a cosponsor of S.J.Res.5, a constitutional amendment that would grant Congress and state governments the power to regulate the raising and spending of money and in kind equivalents with respect to federal and state elections. These regulations would be used to limit the amount of contributions to candidates for nomination for federal office as well as the amount of expenditures that may be made by, in support of, or in opposition to such candidates. Please know that I will continue to work with my colleagues to provide transparency and accountability in political spending by supporting S.J.Res.5 and the DISCLOSE Act.