Jones, Price, and Scott Introduce No Political Funds for Personal Use Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressmen Walter B. Jones (NC-3), David Price (NC-4), and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-3) introduced legislation that would make it illegal for candidates or employees associated with federal political committees to use committee funds for personal activities. Federal law already prohibits candidates from using their campaign funds for “personal use,” but no such law prohibits conversion of the funds of political committees such as leadership PACs, super PACs, corporate PACs, labor PACs, non-connected committees, and party committees. The No Political Funds for Personal Use Act, H.R. 3466, would extend to all of these political committees the prohibition on conversion of campaign funds for “personal use” – which includes things like vacations, cars, clothing, event tickets, and home payments.

The text of H.R. 3466 was first proposed by the bipartisan Federal Election Commission (FEC) after witnessing a substantial number of cases in which individuals with access to the funds of political committees abused the funds to pay for personal expenses. The need for the legislation was also highlighted by a 60 Minutes piece that aired in October entitled “Washington’s Open Secrets: Profitable PACs,” which showed how some members of Congress personally benefit from their leadership PAC funds.

“For too long, candidates and employees of political committees have been able to exploit loopholes in the law to use political committee funds for their own personal items,” said Congressman Jones. “This bill would put a necessary end to this abuse of the system and ensure that PAC funds are used solely for their intended purpose.”

“Members of Congress can’t convert money from their campaign accounts for personal use, and they shouldn’t be able to do it with funds they raise for their leadership PAC either,” said Congressman Price. “As a matter of public trust, we need to close the PAC loophole so that all funding committees are subject to the same ethics laws.”

"I am pleased to co-sponsor the No Political Funds For Personal Use Act,” said Congressman Scott. “This bill simply closes a loophole that presently allows some Political Action Committee funds to be converted to personal use. Most Members of Congress believed this to be current law. It is my hope that Congress will quickly take up this bill."

The legislation has garnered support from a variety of government watchdog groups, including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Democracy 21, Common Cause, Public Citizen’s Congress Watch, and Americans for Campaign Reform.

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