H.R. 6197: Candidate Accountability Act

112th Congress · introduced 2012-07-25 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-07-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lungren, Daniel E. [R-CA-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Candidate Accountability Act

Plain summary

Candidate Accountability Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to limit to $50,000 in a federal election the aggregate contributions any person may make to any candidate and the candidate's authorized committees during the 5-day period ending on the election date. Sunsets all other current federal election contributions limits as of December 31, 2012. Repeals current restrictions and requirements on independent and coordinated election expenditures by political party committees after the party nominates a candidate. Replaces them with a special rule for direct costs of communications. Subjects to specified limitations the direct costs incurred by a political committee of a political party for a communication made in connection with the campaign of a candidate for federal office only if the communication is controlled by, or made at the direction of, the candidate or an authorized committee of the candidate. Requires each political committee to post mandatory contribution information on its public website: (1) within 7 days after receiving the contribution, or (2) within 2 days if the aggregate contributions of the contributor exceed $10,000.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Candidate Accountability Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lungren, Daniel E. [R-CA-3] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr6197.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr6197 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112