OMAR Act
Key claim: The OMAR Act would prohibit the use of campaign funds to compensate a candidate’s or officeholder’s spouse and require disclosure of payments to immediate family members.
Abstract
(HR7304 · 119th Congress) Oversight for Members And Relatives Act or the OMAR Act This bill prohibits the use of campaign funds to compensate the spouse of a candidate or an individual holding federal office. It also requires disclosure of payments made to spouses or immediate family members. Specifically, the bill prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee that is established, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding federal office from directly or indirectly compensating the spouse of the candidate or individual for services provided to or on behalf of the committee. The prohibition does not apply to a political committee of a political party. Next, the bill requires a political committee to report on disbursements to the spouse or an immediate family member of the candidate or the individual holding federal office. Finally, the bill requires any penalty for a violation of the bill to be imposed on the candidate or the individual holding federal office if the candidate or individual involved knew of the violation. Further, it prohibits the committee involved from reimbursing the candidate or individual for the penalty. Latest action (2026-01-30): Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Why this matters
Personal use of campaign funds — including payments to a candidate’s spouse or family — is a recurring integrity concern in federal elections and sits within civil rights insofar as it affects the fairness and transparency of the electoral system. The OMAR Act would close a specific loophole by categorically barring spousal compensation and requiring disclosure of other immediate-family payments, giving voters and enforcement bodies clearer visibility into potential self-dealing. Its practical effect would be narrower on candidates than broad disclosure regimes but directly targets a well-documented gap in current FEC personal-use rules.