{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://tsongas.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=1075", "Tsongas introduces bill to prevent federal funds from being used in political campaigns", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Niki Tsongas", "T000465", "tsongas.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tsongas introduces bill to prevent federal funds from being used in political campaigns\r\n\r\n\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 November 13, 2013\u2013 Today, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas introduced the No Taxpayer Money for Corporate Campaigns Act, which would prevent any federal funds received by corporations, private companies, or other entities from being used for lobbying or in political campaigns.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cDemocracy cannot function when special interests drown out the influence of the average voter,\u201d said Congresswoman Tsongas. \u201cMy bill is straightforward and common sense. Entities that receive federal funds may not use those funds to elect or defeat a political candidate, fund partisan voter registration drives or get-out-the-vote activities, lobby or support a trade association that campaigns or lobbies.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tTsongas introduced similar legislation in response to the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission during the 112th Congress, which was never brought to a vote by Republican Leadership.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s Citizens United ruling paved the way for an unprecedented influx of corporate funds to be used for political purposes,\u201d said Tsongas. \u201cThe decision came at a time when unparalleled taxpayer funds were committed to shoring up our nation\u2019s financial institutions, in addition to the billions of federal dollars that are awarded to defense contractors, non-profit groups, and other entities each year. By striking down the ban on corporate expenditures in political campaigns, the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling allows companies like AIG, Goldman Sachs, or Halliburton to use these taxpayer dollars to support political candidates who will do their bidding, or punish those that won\u2019t. It may be years before we can completely reverse the Supreme Court\u2019s ill-conceived ruling, but we can take steps now to limit one of its harmful consequences.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe No Taxpayer Money for Corporate Campaigns Act has received support from several leading campaign finance reform advocacy groups.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cAt this critical moment when big-money special interests and corporate lobbyists always seem to get their way, Common Cause commends Congresswoman Tsongas for introducing the No Taxpayer Money for Corporate Campaigns Act of 2013,\u201d said Aaron Scherb, Director of Legislative Affairs at Common Cause. \u201cThis bill will help strengthen our democracy so that everyday Americans will always have a strong voice in our government,\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe organization Public Citizen released the following statement of support:\u201cPublic Citizen supports the No Taxpayer Money for Corporate Campaigns Act. This is responsible legislation that is sorely needed in the new political landscape of unlimited corporate political spending post- Citizens United v. FEC decision. When the Supreme Court determined that CEOs may spend unlimited corporate treasury funds on elections, it became imperative that restrictions against the abuse of taxpayer funds for partisan or political gain be applied more generally to all entities receiving public funds.\u201d\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://tsongas.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=49&itemid=1075"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.5315360873937607, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}