Senator Markey Joins Senator Durbin to Introduce Fair Elections Now Act

Press Release

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) today to introduce the Fair Elections Now Act, which would dramatically change the way Congressional elections are financed. Under the legislation, qualified Senate candidates would earn grants, matching funds, and television vouchers to run competitive campaigns based on small-dollar contributions, rather than rely on funding from wealthy donors and special interests.

The Fair Elections Now Act would help reduce the influence of wealthy donors and special interest lobbyists by creating a voluntary system of public financing for Senate candidates. Candidates who participate in the Fair Elections process would agree to limit their campaign spending to the amounts raised from small-dollar donors plus the amounts provided by the Fair Elections Fund.

"Since the Supreme Court's Citizens' United decision, a tsunami of undisclosed, unlimited campaign spending has infected our democracy," said Senator Markey. "Elected officials should be listening to their constituents, not the special interests and their Super PACs. That's why I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the Fair Election, which reforms our broken campaign finance system and empowers American citizens to take back their government."

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