S. 1849: Zeroing Out Money for Buying Influence after Elections (ZOMBIE) Act

The Zeroing Out Money for Buying Influence after Elections (ZOMBIE) Act is a proposed piece of legislation intended to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. The main focus of this bill is on the disbursement of funds remaining in the authorized committees or leadership Political Action Committees (PACs) of federal candidates after elections. Here is a breakdown of the key aspects of the bill:

Disbursement Requirements

The bill stipulates that all authorized committees or leadership PACs of a candidate must disburse any remaining funds:

• Before the last day of a specified disbursement period.
• Before the date the candidate makes a lobbying contact, or is employed as a lobbyist, which would require registration under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
• Before the date when the candidate becomes an agent of a foreign principal requiring registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The disbursement period is defined as the six-month period beginning after the latest date a candidate may submit the required information to qualify for the next election.

Permitted and Prohibited Disbursements

The bill outlines how the remaining funds can be used:

• First, any remaining funds should be used to pay obligations incurred during the operation of the committee or PAC.
• After covering obligations, the funds can only be used to:
  • Return contributions made to the committee or PAC.
  • Make contributions to qualified organizations under the Internal Revenue Code, with specific restrictions.

Importantly, the bill prohibits the disbursement of funds during the applicable disbursement period for specific purposes such as:

• Donations to organizations established by the candidate or that have the candidate's name.
• Payments to relatives of the candidate, unless related to an operational obligation reported by the committee.

Compliance Certification by Former Candidates

If former candidates opt to serve as lobbyists or foreign agents, they must certify compliance with these disbursement requirements. This certification must confirm that the authorized committee or leadership PAC has fulfilled the disbursement obligations as outlined in the Act.

Effective Date

The changes proposed in this bill would apply to elections starting from November 2026 onwards.

Relevant Companies

None found.