U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) is continuing her stand against special interests and corruption in Washington by introducing the Honest Elections and Campaigns Act, H.R. 1363, bipartisan legislation to require former lawmakers and others no longer seeking office to close their campaign accounts within two years, instead of having them live on as Zombie Campaigns.  The bill is being offered as an amendment to the landmark “For the People Act”, H.R. 1, that is scheduled to be debated and voted on this week.

“It is wrong for former members of Congress and other candidates to keep their campaign accounts open for decades and convert those funds for personal use,” U.S. Rep. Castor said.  “That is why I introduced legislation to end these Zombie Campaigns – we must tackle this form of corruption and others we have seen grow unchecked for several years under Republican control of Congress.”

The legislation, cosponsored by U.S. Reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL12) and Jamie Raskin (MD8), will amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to ensure that campaign funds held in an authorized committee and Leadership Political Action Committee be dispersed within two years of an individual no longer seeking office.

“Members of Congress are elected to serve the public interest, not their personal interests,” U.S. Rep. Castor continued.  “It is vital that Congress, pushed by Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, clean up the culture of corruption we see in Washington and show that the people’s government works for them, not big corporations and special interests with outsized influence.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that Congress takes this important step towards returning Americans’ trust in this institution.”

Last Congress, U.S. Rep. Castor introduced similar legislation after explosive reports by the Tampa Bay Times and WTSP Channel 10 detailing how several former members of Congress continued their campaign accounts years after their campaigns ended, paying off personal expenses and employing family members.

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