Bryan Steil
Representative for Wisconsin · Republican · United States
“Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3535) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the prohibition against contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with elections to contributions or donations in connection with ballot initiatives and referenda.”
“Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8738) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check. The Clerk read the title of the bill.”
“Shadowy groups, like Sixteen Thirty Fund, funneled millions of foreign-linked dollars into ballot initiatives and campaigns in States, including Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio. It sounds crazy, but it is true, Madam Speaker.”
“I thank my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, for authoring this legislation, understanding the importance of making sure that we are rooting out foreign funds inside U.S. elections.”
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this bill is broadly about making sure that American elections are for American citizens only. As my colleague Mr. Morelle noted, there is a significant, gaping hole in U.S.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [House] [Page H4402] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] VACATING ORDERING OF RECORDED VOTE ON RECONSIDERATION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 1398, AND LAYI…”
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“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [House] [Page H4402] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] VACATING ORDERING OF RECORDED VOTE ON RECONSIDERATION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 1398, AND LAYING ON THE TABLE HOUSE RESOLUTION 1377 Mr. STEIL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the ordering of a recorded vote on the question of reconsideration of the vote on adoption of House Resolution 1398 be vacated to the end that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table and that House Resolution 1377 be laid on the table. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin? There was no objection. ____________________”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the ranking member, Mr. Morelle, for his work on this legislation. There is a lot of work to be done to update our campaign finance laws for the digital age, and this is an important piece of legislation. I encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 8738. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 8738. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________”
“Madam Speaker, the work of the FEC is important to our Federal election system. This bill improves their efficiency and modernizes our campaign finance system for the digital age. I urge immediate passage of the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1720”
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 8738, the FEC Administrative Improvements Act. I thank my friends, Ranking Member Morelle and the chair of our Subcommittee on Elections, Representative Lee from Florida, for their leadership on this legislation. Our campaign finance system wasn't designed for the digital age. That extends to the statutes governing the work of the Federal Elections Commission. This bill implements several recommendations from the FEC to modernize their administrative operations and reduce outdated administrative burdens. The bill expands the electronic filing requirements to electioneering communications reports and allows political committees to make disbursements by methods other than checks.”
“Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin? There was no objection.”
“PERMITTING POLITICAL COMMITTEES TO MAKE DISBURSEMENTS BY METHODS OTHER THAN CHECK. Section 302(h)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)) is amended by striking ``except by check drawn on such accounts in accordance with this section'' and inserting ``except from such accounts''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin. General Leave”
“Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8738) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require electronic report filing for persons making certain electioneering communications and to permit political committees to make disbursements other than by check. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8738 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, [[Page H4402]] SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``FEC Administrative Improvements Act''. SEC. 2. REQUIRING ELECTRONIC FILING. Section 304(a)(11)(A)(i) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30104(a)(11)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting ``or makes electioneering communications'' after ``expenditures''. SEC. 3.”
“Madam Speaker, I will close by saying I thank my colleague Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania and Ranking Member Morelle for their work on closing this gap in Federal law. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3535, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3535. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________”
“Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), the author of this bill who is not only a colleague but also a friend.”
“I thank my colleague, Mr. Fitzpatrick, for authoring this legislation, understanding the importance of making sure that we are rooting out foreign funds inside U.S. elections. There is a basic premise and a basic principle, and in a particular period of time when it is so simple and so easy for funds to be transmitted into these political activities here in the United States of America, an individual outside of the United States could easily move funds in to influence a U.S. election. Of course, it is illegal for a donation to be made to an individual seeking Federal elected office, but right now the underlying law does not ban that for purposes of ballot initiatives, local ballot initiatives, referenda, or recall elections. This legislation fixes that very important point. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this bill is broadly about making sure that American elections are for American citizens only. As my colleague Mr. Morelle noted, there is a significant, gaping hole in U.S. campaign finance laws, and, in particular, that is in relation to the measures that we have spoken about, about ballot initiatives, other essential pieces of American democracy that currently allow for foreign funding to come in and influence those campaigns. While that is not an office seeker for elected office, I think it is without a doubt that those elections and those ballot initiatives are in many ways equally essential to American democracy. Closing out this gap and making sure that foreign funds are not finding their way into U.S. elections is absolutely essential.”
“Shadowy groups, like Sixteen Thirty Fund, funneled millions of foreign-linked dollars into ballot initiatives and campaigns in States, including Arizona, Nevada, and Ohio. It sounds crazy, but it is true, Madam Speaker. We should all be able to agree that foreign funds should not be influencing or financing ballot measures, referenda, or recall elections. Current law, as we know, already prohibits foreign money in Federal elections, and this bill broadens that nonpartisan, commonsense prohibition to similar State and local elections. Madam Speaker, elections should be decided by Americans, and they should not be influenced or funded by foreign nationals. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and ensure American elections remain for American citizens only, and I reserve the balance of my time”
“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3535, the Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act, introduced by my friend, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. U.S. elections should be for U.S. citizens only, and only U.S. citizens should be participating in and donating in political causes. Today, gaps in our existing laws undermine this principle and actually permit foreign actors to fund U.S. political activities. It is true. Current law allows foreign funding to infiltrate State and local ballot initiatives, referenda, and recall elections. As we have seen in recent history, those races can attract millions of dollars in outside spending. Some of that has been foreign money, and right now that is completely legal.”
“Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin? There was no objection.”
“30121(a)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ``, including a State or local ballot initiative or referendum or recall election'' after ``State, or local election''. (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall apply with respect to contributions and donations made on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin. General Leave”
“Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3535) to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to apply the prohibition against contributions and donations by foreign nationals in connection with elections to contributions or donations in connection with ballot initiatives and referenda. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3535 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act''. SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND DONATIONS BY FOREIGN NATIONALS IN CONNECTION WITH BALLOT INITIATIVES AND REFERENDA AND RECALL ELECTIONS. (a) Prohibition.--Section 319(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C.”
“The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 22 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), SECTION 1. USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL FOR A CEREMONY TO PRESENT THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS AWARDED UNDER THE `SIX TRIPLE EIGHT' CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT OF 2021. (a) Authorization.--Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center is authorized to be used on April 29, 2025, for a ceremony to present the Congressional Gold Medals awarded under the `Six Triple Eight' Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-97). (b) Preparations.--Physical preparations for the ceremony described in subsection (a) shall be carried out in accordance with such conditions as the Architect of the Capitol may prescribe. The concurrent resolution was agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 62 (Monday, April 7, 2025)] [House] [Page H1443] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] AUTHORIZING THE USE OF EMANCIPATION HALL IN THE CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER FOR A CEREMONY TO PRESENT THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS AWARDED UNDER THE `SIX TRIPLE EIGHT' CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT OF 2021 Mr. STEIL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of H. Con. Res. 22, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin? There was no objection.”