Quick Facts About ARSCPAC
Political Action Committees (PACs) are an important part of the American political and electoral system. The first PAC was created in 1944 when the Congress of Industrial Organizations – the CIO part of today’s AFL-CIO – wanted to help President Franklin Delano Roosevelt get re-elected.
Standing in their way was the Smith-Connally Act of 1943 which made it illegal for labor unions to contribute funds to candidates in federal elections.
Through the establishment of CIO-PAC, the Congress of Industrial Organizations established the precedent of collecting voluntary contributions from its members, which could be dispensed to favored candidates. Other national and local unions followed suit and since then, union-related PACs have raised billions of dollars for political candidates nationwide.
In Brief:
- PAC contributors must be American citizens or permanent resident aliens, as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Contributions cannot be made anonymously, or in the name of another person.
- Organizations, such as the American Retirement Security Coalition, may establish
PACs and pay the establishment, administrative, and fund-raising costs associated
with their PACs.
- All contributions to a PAC must be completely voluntary, and must be drawn exclusively from the personal funds of the contributor.
- Payroll deductions and similar devices cannot be used to collect contributions.
- Individuals may contribute no more than $5,000 per year to a PAC.
- The maximum contribution to a candidate from a multi-candidate PAC, such as ARSCPAC, is $5,000 per election.
- A multi-candidate PAC can give up to $15,000 per year to a national political committee.
- Corporations cannot make contributions to a PAC in connection with elections for any federal office.
- Your involvement is crucial! Help us preserve America’s retirement security.
If you have any questions regarding ARSCPAC, please contact us.