Campaign Finance Transparency Act
Key claim: The Campaign Finance Transparency Act (HR8720) expands federal campaign contribution disclosure by removing the $200 reporting threshold, requires credit/debit card verification and name matching for online donations, and strengthens prohibitions on contributions made in the name of another.
Abstract
(HR8720 · 119th Congress) Campaign Finance Transparency Act This bill addresses campaign finance in federal elections, including by expanding contribution and disclosure requirements. Specifically, the bill requires political committees, when accepting a credit or debit card contribution over the internet, to collect the credit or debit card’s (1) verification value or verification code, and (2) ZIP Code of the billing address associated with the card. The bill generally requires an individual or entity making a contribution to have a U.S. mailing address; however, the bill provides an exception for U.S. citizens, nationals, or those lawfully admitted for permanent residence who provide the political committee with specified identifying information. The bill prohibits political committees from (1) accepting any credit or debit card contribution unless the name on the card used to make such contribution matches the name of the individual or entity donating the contribution, or (2) accepting a contribution made through the use of a gift certificate or store gift card. The bill removes a $200 threshold requirement for disclosing contributions, thereby requiring political committees to report identifying information about contributors, regardless of the amount contributed. The bill also prohibits knowingly directing, helping, or assisting any person in making a contribution in the name of another person. Any recipient of a contribution who suspects that the contribution was made by one person in the name of another person shall report it to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FEC must promulgate regulations to carry out this bill. Latest action (2026-05-14): Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 11 - 0.
Why this matters
Eliminating the $200 itemized-reporting threshold would make virtually all federal campaign contributions individually visible in FEC filings, changing the privacy calculus for small-dollar donors while giving researchers and journalists finer-grained data on political participation. The card-verification and name-matching requirements target a known vector for illegal straw and foreign contributions routed through online platforms, but also raise practical questions about donor identity errors and access for donors without matching payment credentials.