Federal Elections Commission

Extracted Attributes

• TTY Number

  1-202-219-3336

• Agency Type

  Independent agency of the U.S. federal government

• Established

  1974

• Phone Number

  1-202-694-1100

• Toll-free Number

  1-800-424-9530

• Quorum Requirement

  Four votes for official action

• Leadership Structure

  Six commissioners

• Governing Legislation

  Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971 (amended 1974), Revenue Act of 1971

• Commissioner Term Length

  Six years

• Commissioner Appointment Process

  Nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate

• Commissioner Party Affiliation Limit

  No more than three commissioners from the same political party

Timeline

• Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and Revenue Act enacted. (Source: Britannica)

  1971-01-01

• Federal Election Commission (FEC) established through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1974-01-01

• FEC became unable to function due to a lack of quorum, lasting until December 2020 (with a brief exception from May to July 2020). (Source: Wikipedia)

  2019-08-01

• Three commissioners were appointed, restoring a quorum to the FEC. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020-12-01

• FEC became defunct again with only 3 commissioners under the second Trump administration. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-05-01

• FEC implemented rule changes empowering super PACs, which could enable new political movements. (Source: Document 5a2e1075-6c4e-4a14-9e5b-7bf833bb6674)

  Recent

Federal Election Commission

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that enforces federal campaign finance laws and oversees federal elections of the United States. Created in 1974 through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act, the commission describes its duties as "to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of Presidential elections." It is led by six commissioners who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Under the first Trump administration the commission was unable to function from late August 2019 to December 2020, except for the period of May 2020 to July 2020, due to lack of a quorum. In December 2020, three commissioners were appointed to restore a quorum; however, due to back log some cases exceeded a five-year statute of limitations and died for lack of commission action. Also deadlocks arising from the equal number of members from the Republican and Democratic parties with the absence of a tie-breaking vote resulted in some controversial investigations not being pursued. Under the second Trump administration, the FEC has become defunct since May 1, 2025 with only 3 commissioners.

Web Search Results

• What Is the Federal Election Commission? | Campaign Legal Center

  The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency charged with enforcing the campaign finance laws that maintain these important values. It has been 50 years since Congress created the FEC. For decades, the agency helped foster transparency and curtail corruption. Yet in recent years, the FEC has largely failed to fulfill its mission of properly interpreting and enforcing federal campaign finance laws. [...] This new agency was intended to ensure the public had access to information about the money raised and spent to influence federal elections. Congress explicitly, and intentionally, created the FEC to be an independent, bipartisan federal agency whose commissioners are appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Of the six commissioners, no more than three can represent the same political party, and four votes are required for the commission to take any official action. [...] And because the FEC has the authority and responsibility to regulate the president and presidential campaigns, Congress set up the FEC as an independent federal agency. For many years, the FEC successfully issued rulings that increased transparency for voters, made candidates and campaigns more accountable, and implemented several laws to regulate contributions in federal elections. But recently, the commission has been plagued by challenges. The Rise of Deadlock and Deregulation

• Federal Election Commission (FEC) - Britannica

  Federal Election Commission (FEC), independent agency of the federal government of the United States responsible for administering and enforcing the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971, which regulates the raising and spending of money in campaigns for federal offices, and the Revenue Act of 1971, which provides for the public funding of presidential campaigns through voluntary contributions made via individual income tax returns. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) was established [...] Federal Election CommissionSeal of the U.S. Federal Election Commission, which enforces federal campaign finance laws and oversees federal elections.(more) Federal Election Commission =========================== United States agency Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite Share Feedback External Websites Also known as: FEC Written by Frannie Comstock Frannie Comstock is a writer based in Chicago. Frannie Comstock Fact-checked by [...] by an amendment to FECA adopted in 1974. The FEC oversees campaign financing for seats in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and for the offices of presidentand vice president of the United States.

• Federal Election Commission (FEC) | USAGov

  The Federal Election Commission (FEC) enforces federal campaign finance laws, including monitoring donation prohibitions, and limits and oversees public funding for presidential campaigns. Website ------- Federal Election Commission Contact ------- Contact the Federal Election Commission Contact the Federal Election Commission public records branch Phone number ------------ 1-202-694-1100 Toll-free number ---------------- 1-800-424-9530 TTY --- 1-202-219-3336 Email ----- [...] Home Close Search Image 4: Search The U.S. and its government A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies Federal Election Commission _Image 5: USAGov Logo_ EspañolMenu Search Image 6: Search Image 7: Close All topics and services The U.S. and its government Government benefits Immigration and U.S. citizenship Money and credit Taxes Travel [...] 1. Home 2. The U.S. and its government 3. A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies 4. Federal Election Commission The U.S. and its government Buying from the U.S. government U.S. facts and figures A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies current page Federal Election Commission

• Federal Election Commission - Wikipedia

  The FEC enforces and regulates federal campaign finance laws. It enforces limitations and prohibitions on contributions and expenditures, administers the reporting system for campaign finance disclosure, investigates and prosecutes violations (investigations are typically initiated by complaints from other candidates, parties, watchdog groups, and the public), audits a limited number of campaigns and organizations for compliance, and administers the presidential public funding programs for [...] The FEC was established in 1974, in an amendment of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), to enforce and regulate campaign finance law.( Initially, its six members were to be appointed by both houses of the United States Congress and the US president, reflecting a strong desire for Congress to retain control.( Two commissioners were to be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate and two by the speaker of the House of Representatives, each upon recommendation by the respective [...] The commission consists of six commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Each commissioner is appointed for a six-year term, but each ending on April 30. Two commissioners are appointed every two years.( However, commissioners continue to serve after their terms would expire until a replacement is confirmed,( but may resign at any time. By law, no more than three commissioners can be members of the same political party.(

• [PDF] Federal Election Commission

  MISSION STATEMENT 1.1 FY 2018 – 2022 FEC Mission The mission of the Federal Election Commission is to protect the integrity of the federal campaign finance process by providing transparency and fairly enforcing and administering federal campaign finance laws. 1.2 Scope of Responsibilities The FEC is an independent regulatory agency responsible for administering, enforcing, defending and interpreting the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.1 The Commission is also responsible for administering [...] the federal public funding programs for Presidential campaigns. This responsibility includes certifying and auditing all participating candidates and committees and enforcing the public funding laws. To accomplish its legislative mandate, the FEC is directed by six Commissioners, who are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. By law, no more than three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. Each member serves a six-year term, and two seats are [...] Commission represents itself in litigation before the federal district and circuit courts and before the Supreme Court with respect to cases involving publicly financed Presidential candidates. At the direction of the Commission, staff from the Litigation Division also defend the Act and Commission regulations against court challenges. In addition, the FECA authorizes the Commission to institute civil actions in enforcement matters that cannot be resolved through voluntary conciliation. 