Senate Democrats push to ban corporate PAC money

Democratic Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly introduced a bill on Tuesday that would ban for-profit corporations from forming political action committees (PACs). 

Political spending by PACs on federal races hit a record high of $1.9 billion in 2024. Much of this spending came from large corporations whose business interests are directly tied to Congress.

“Corporate money has way too much control over what happens in Washington, and that’s not how it should work,” said Kelly. “When representatives are making decisions that affect working families, whether it’s lowering costs or protecting workers’ rights, they should be accountable to you, not the corporations writing big checks.”

The Ban Corporate PACs Act would do three things: ban for-profit corporations from forming PACs, block other PACs from soliciting corporate donations, and force existing corporate PACs to dissolve within one year.

End Citizens United, an advocacy group fighting for campaign finance reform, praised the bill, writing on social media, “When it comes to draining the swamp and rooting out corruption in Washington, banning corporate PACs is imperative.”

Polling suggests that most Americans agree. A Pew Research poll from last year found that 62% of voters believe that reducing the influence of corporate money in politics should be a top priority for Congress.

Despite this, the Ban Corporate PACs Act is unlikely to succeed in the Republican-controlled Senate. In 2024, 61% of corporate PAC spending benefited Republicans, while only 32% went toward Democrats.

The bill is being co-sponsored by Sens. Andy Kim and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jared Golden.

All of these lawmakers—including Kelly and Slotkin—have not accepted corporate PAC money in the past and have pledged not to do so in the future.