Charleston, WV – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) led 162 Senators and Representatives in introducing the bicameral Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE ACT). The legislation will strengthen transparency around campaign finance and ensure every election in West Virginia and the United States is free, fair and transparent to voters.

“Like so many of my fellow West Virginians and Americans, I’m concerned with the increasingly powerful role dark money is playing in our politics and elections,” said Senator Manchin.  “I’m proud to reintroduce the DISCLOSE Act to require greater transparency from groups that spend heavily on elections and nominations and help strengthen transparency surrounding campaign finance. I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense legislation to ensure fair, free and transparent elections for every American voter.”

The DISCLOSE Act requires organizations spending money in elections – including super PACs and 501(c)(4) dark-money groups – to disclose donors who have given $10,000 or more during an election cycle. In addition to election disclosure requirements, the bill requires groups that spend money on advertisements supporting or opposing judicial nominees to disclose their donors. The legislation also includes measures to prevent foreign governments from interfering in U.S. elections and provisions to crack down on the use of shell corporations to hide the identity of political donors.