Tester’s bill to bring more transparency to Senate campaigns one step closer to becoming law

Senator’s bipartisan bill improves accountability, saves money

(U.S. SENATE) – A Senate panel this week approved Jon Tester's legislation to improve transparency and save taxpayers money by modernizing campaign finance reporting.

Tester is the author of a bipartisan bill that requires all U.S. Senate candidates to file their quarterly campaign finance reports electronically with the Federal Election Commission. Candidates currently only have to file paper reports with the Secretary of the Senate, who then copies and forwards the documents to the FEC. The cumbersome process delays documents from being publicly available online for months. 

Tester, who voluntarily files his FEC reports electronically, says that Montanans hold their elected officials and candidates to the highest ethical standards.

“In Montana, accountability and transparency are expected from our elected officials and candidates for public office,” Tester said. “This bill brings Senate campaign reporting and transparency into the 21st Century, and I look forward to seeing it get approved by the full Senate.”

Tester’s bipartisan measure will save taxpayers nearly half a million dollars every year and make government more efficient by cutting waste. 

Tester, a member of the Senate Government Affairs Committee, also noted the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act included his provision requiring electronic filing of personal quarterly financial reports.

Tester’s bipartisan Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, co-sponsored by Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), is available online HERE. It was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Video of Tester speaking about his bill at a recent hearing is available online HERE.

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