PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 15, 2013
Fair Elections Now Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) with respect to:
candidate benefits of fair elections financing of House of Representatives election campaigns;
allocations to candidates from the Fair Elections Fund established by this Act;
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
500% matching payments to candidates for certain small dollar contributions;
Fund allocation eligibility requirements;
certification of a federal election candidate as a participating candidate;
contribution, expenditure, and fundraising requirements;
a public debate requirement;
remission to the Fair Elections Fund of unspent funds after an election;
establishment of the Fair Elections Fund and of a Fair Elections Oversight Board;
civil penalties for violation of contribution and expenditure requirements; and
transfer of a portion of collected civil money penalties into the Fair Elections Fund.
Prohibits: (1) use of contributions by a participating candidate for any purposes other than an election campaign, and (2) establishment of joint fundraising committees with any political committee other than a candidate's authorized committee. Prescribes a limitation on coordinated expenditures by political party committees with participating candidates.
Amends FECA to empower the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari to appeal a civil action.
Requires all designations, statements, and reports required to be filed under FECA to be filed: (1) directly with the FEC, and (2) in electronic form accessible by computers. Reduces from 48 hours to 24 hours after their receipt the deadline for the FEC to make designations, statements, reports, or notifications available to the public in the FEC office and on the Internet.
People & committees
Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3] · D–KY
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.269 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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