FEC Raises Some—But Not All—Contribution Limits

At the beginning of each new two-year election cycle, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) raises certain political contribution limits to account for inflation. The increased 2013-2014 contribution limits for individuals are as follows:

• $2,600 per election to federal candidates; and
• $32,400 per calendar year to a national political party committee (e.g., Republican National Committee, Democratic National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee).

The two-year aggregate limit for individuals is now $123,200 (with a maximum of $48,600 going to federal candidates in the aggregate in 2013-2014 and a maximum of $74,600 going to all Political Action Committees (PACs) and party committees combined in the same two-year cycle). Of the $74,600 sublimit, only $48,600 may go, in the aggregate, to federal PACs and state, district and local party committees in the two-year election cycle.

The individual contribution limits did not change with respect to PACs and state, district and local political party committees. These limits are as follows:

• $5,000 per calendar year to federal PACs; and
• $10,000 per calendar year to the federal accounts of state, district and local party committees (combined amount).

The FEC also adjusted the monetary threshold for the bundling disclosure requirements. Previously, candidate committees, leadership PACs and political party committees had to report the names and addresses of any registered federal lobbyist, lobbyist employer or PAC established or controlled by either that bundles two or more contributions in a six-month period when such contributions exceeded $16,700. The applicable dollar threshold has now been raised to $17,100.