Sanders, Lee introduce bill to cap super PAC contributions

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA 12) introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at reducing the influence of big money in U.S. elections.

The Abolish Super PACs Act would cap individual contributions to super PACs at $5,000. Sanders and Lee say the limit would effectively abolish the independent expenditure-only committees, which can raise and spend unlimited money to advocate for or against political candidates.

“Maybe, just maybe, we should have a government that works for working people, not wealthy campaign contributors,” Sanders said.

Unlike traditional political action committees, super PACs are prohibited from donating money directly to political candidates.

Super PACs emerged after the 2010 D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in SpeechNow v. Federal Election Commission, which struck down limits on contributions to political committees making independent expenditures.

According to nonprofit Open Secrets, as of March 2025, about 2,500 groups organized as super PACs reported total receipts of more than $5 billion and independent expenditures of nearly $2.7 billion in the 2021-2022 election cycle.

“If you are somebody who believes in Medicare for all, the money in politics is your number one issue,” said Lee. “If you believe in ending mass shootings in our country, that we have seen in our mosques and synagogues and schools and grocery stores and concerts, the money in politics is your number one issue. If you believe in environmental justice, climate change, money in politics.”

The legislation is cosponsored by 17 additional House members.