PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 24, 2021
Empower Act of 2021
This bill modifies the system for the public financing of presidential primary and general elections.
The bill (1) increases the amount of matching funds for participating candidates by matching the first $200 of contributions by individuals to a candidate at a 6:1 ratio; (2) eliminates spending limits on participating candidates; (3) allows the national committee of a political party to make expenditures of up to $100 million in coordination with participating candidates; (4) requires all payments made to candidates, beginning with the 2028 presidential election, to be made from the Freedom From Influence Fund established by this bill; and (5) prohibits joint fundraising committees for any authorized committee of a candidate.
People & committees
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] · D–MD
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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