Utah Sen. Mike Lee has joined seven other Republicans in sponsoring the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act to keep foreign donors out of U.S. elections.
The bill would bar foreign nationals from donating to conduits that use the money for propping up candidates or parties in American elections.
Although it’s currently illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to American political campaigns, there are still ways to push money through. This bill hopes to plug those holes.
Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., introduced the bill last year as well, hoping it would keep foreign nationals away specifically from get-out-the-vote activities, ballot harvesting and state ballot initiatives.
Hagerty told the New York Post, “After years of hysteria over Russiagate and alleged foreign influence in American elections, it turns out Democrats have recently benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in election-related contributions from a shadowy foreign billionaire.”
He continued, “This type of influence undermines democracy and self-government here in America, and its staggering scope should be alarming.” He believes, if passed, this legislation “will put an end to covert foreign influence on our elections and protect Americans’ voice in electing their leaders.”
Other congressmen sponsoring the bill include Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Ted Budd, R-N.C.; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; Roger Marshall, R-Kansas; and John Kennedy, R-La.
House Committee on Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., told the New York Post he plans on reintroducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives when the government is up and running again.
“There is no place for foreign influence in American elections,” Steil said of the bill. “By eliminating the potential for foreign nationals to fund elections operations we are one step closer to securing our democratic process.”