H.R. 5409: Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act

115th Congress · introduced 2018-03-23 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2018-03-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. 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

Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act

Plain summary

Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act This bill requires each authorized candidate committee or leadership political action committee (PAC) to disburse all unused funds within a specified time period beginning after an election, unless the candidate files to run for office again before the disbursement period begins. A committee or PAC disbursing unspent funds shall first pay any obligations incurred and, if funds are left over, it may disburse the funds in specified ways, such as by transferring the funds to a national or state committee of a political party.

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

Honest Elections and Campaign, No Gain Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] reported raising $4.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (4)

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.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Political action committee (PAC): A committee that raises and spends money to support or oppose candidates. PACs that give directly to federal candidates have contribution limits and report to the Federal Election Commission.

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-115hr5409.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr5409 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115