Foreign money in elections: bills in Congress and states
These bills would block or limit election money that comes from other countries.
Checked Nov 9, 2026: Congress and 26 states. 25 places are not checked yet. See the full lists
5 still open · 4 already won
Still open
| Status | Bill or measure | What it would do | Where it stands | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moving | Stopping Foreign Influence in Elections Act of 2026H.R. 9771 ↗National | It adds tax penalties when some nonprofit groups fund politics soon after getting foreign gifts. | Reported and placed on the House Union Calendar as Calendar No. 669; not passed. As of Aug 27, 2026 | If you want it to pass, ask your U.S. representative for a vote now. Ends Jan 3, 2027 Words to copyI'm your constituent. Please seek a vote on H.R. 9771 now. |
| Needs a push | Foreign campaign money limitsHB 5197 ↗Michigan | It bars certain foreign groups and firms from giving money to state election campaigns. | Passed the House February 5, 2026 (97–6); referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee February 11, 2026. As of Feb 11, 2026 | If you want it to pass, ask your Michigan state senator for a vote now. Ends Dec 31, 2026 Words to copyI'm your constituent. Please seek a vote on HB 5197 now. |
| Needs a push | Stop Foreign Funds in Elections ActH.R. 3535 ↗National | It bars foreign donors from funding state and local ballot measures and recall votes. | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. As of Jul 14, 2026 | If you want it to pass, ask your U.S. senator for a vote now. Ends Jan 3, 2027 Words to copyI'm your constituent. Please seek a vote on H.R. 3535 now. |
| Needs a push | Foreign-owned firms and election moneyS. 525 ↗Massachusetts | It bars some firms with foreign owners from funding state elections. | Reported favorably and referred to Senate Ways and Means November 24, 2025; still pending in the 194th General Court. As of Nov 24, 2025 | If you want it to pass, ask your Massachusetts state senator for a vote now. Ends Jan 5, 2027 Words to copyI'm your constituent. Please seek a vote on S. 525 now. |
| Stuck | Ohio Anti-Corruption ActHB 250 ↗Ohio | It makes firms show who funds their election spending and bars some firms with foreign owners from giving. | In the House General Government Committee since May 7, 2025; not passed. As of May 7, 2025 | If you want it back, ask whoever represents you in January to bring it back. Ends Dec 31, 2026 Words to copyI'm your constituent. Please bring back HB 250 in January. |
4 already won
| Bill or measure | What it does | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| No foreign money in state election campaignsHB 214 ↗Alabama | It bars foreign nationals from giving or spending money in state elections. | Act 2026-266; Secretary of State records governor approval March 17, 2026. Effective October 1, 2026. The text includes an exception for qualifying U.S. subsidiaries of foreign firms. As of Mar 17, 2026 |
| Checks on card gifts from outside the U.S.SB 92 ↗Alabama | It blocks card gifts with foreign billing addresses, except gifts from U.S. citizens abroad. | Act 2026-596; Secretary of State records governor approval April 16, 2026, not the April 17 enactment entry indexed by Open States. Effective October 1, 2026. As of Apr 16, 2026 |
| Extra penalties for banned foreign giftsHB 905 ↗Florida | Officials who take banned gifts from listed foreign groups must pay back twice their value. | Chapter 2026-66; approved May 8, 2026, effective July 1, 2026. This row describes the public-official gift penalty in section 2, not the law’s other foreign-relations provisions. As of May 8, 2026 |
| Checks on foreign money in ballot campaignsHF 2601 ↗Iowa | It bars foreign control of ballot campaigns and adds checks on where gifts came from. | Chapter 1179; approved June 2, 2026, effective July 1, 2026. It also limits collection and sharing of lawful tax-exempt donors’ identities during investigations; it is not blanket donor disclosure. As of Jun 2, 2026 |
More money in politics topics
- Who's paying for it
- Campaign finance reform
- Stocks, crypto and betting
- Lobbyists, revolving door
- Gifts and ethics
What we checked
We looked at Congress and 26 states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin.
We have not checked these 25 places yet: District of Columbia, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming. A bill from one of them will not show up here.
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