Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold
As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act ("the Act"), the Federal Election Commission ("the Commission") is adjusting certain contribution and expenditure ...
Notice of adjustments to contribution and expenditure limitations and lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold.
SUMMARY:
As mandated by provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act (“the Act”), the Federal Election Commission (“the Commission”) is adjusting certain contribution and expenditure limitations and the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold set forth in the Act, to index the amounts for inflation. Additional details appear in the supplemental information that follows.
Under 52 U.S.C. 30116(c), the Commission must adjust the expenditure limitations established by 52 U.S.C. 30116(d) (the limits on expenditures by national party committees, state party committees, or their subordinate committees in connection with the general election campaign of candidates for Federal office) annually to account for inflation. This expenditure limitation is increased by the percent difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 1974). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(i), (2)(B)(i).
1. Expenditure Limitation for House of Representatives in States With More Than One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for each general election held to fill a seat in the House of Representatives in states with more than one congressional district.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(B). This limitation also applies to the District of Columbia and territories that elect individuals to the office of Delegate or Resident
Commissioner.1Id.
The formula used to calculate the expenditure limitation in such states and territories multiplies the base figure of $10,000 by the difference in the price index (6.36203), rounding to the nearest $100.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(B); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Based upon this formula, the expenditure limitation for 2025 general elections for House candidates in these states, districts, and territories is $63,600.
2. Expenditure Limitation for Senate and for House of Representatives in States With Only One Congressional District
Both the national and state party committees have an expenditure limitation for a general election held to fill a seat in the Senate or in the House of Representatives in states with only one congressional district.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A). The formula used to calculate this expenditure limitation considers not only the price index but also the voting age population (“VAP”) of the state.
Id.
The VAP figures used to calculate the expenditure limitations were certified by the U.S. Census Bureau. The VAP of each state is also published annually in the
Federal Register
by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 11 CFR 110.18. The general election expenditure limitation is the greater of: The base figure ($20,000) multiplied by the difference in the price index, 6.36203 (which totals $127,200); or $0.02 multiplied by the VAP of the state, multiplied by 6.36203.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B), (d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b), 110.17. Amounts are rounded to the nearest $100. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(3), 110.17(c). The chart below provides the state-by-state breakdown of the 2025 general election expenditure limitations for Senate elections. The expenditure limitation for 2025 House elections in states with only one congressional district [2]
is $127,200.
( printed page 8527)
Senate General Election Coordinated Expenditure Limits—2025 Elections 3
State
Voting Age
Population
(VAP)
VAP × .02 × the
price index
(6.36203)
Senate expenditure limit
(the greater of the amount
in column 3 or $127,200)
Alabama
4,022,842
$511,900
$511,900
Alaska
565,186
71,900
127,200
Arizona
5,994,209
762,700
762,700
Arkansas
2,386,510
303,700
303,700
California
31,012,711
3,946,100
3,946,100
Colorado
4,744,328
603,700
603,700
Connecticut
2,947,242
375,000
375,000
Delaware
838,204
106,700
127,200
Florida
18,872,523
2,401,400
2,401,400
Georgia
8,640,127
1,099,400
1,099,400
Hawaii
1,152,797
146,700
146,700
Idaho
1,533,172
195,100
195,100
Illinois
10,012,697
1,274,000
1,274,000
Indiana
5,338,189
679,200
679,200
Iowa
2,510,913
319,500
319,500
Kansas
2,278,027
289,900
289,900
Kentucky
3,562,700
453,300
453,300
Louisiana
3,531,346
449,300
449,300
Maine
1,157,930
147,300
147,300
Maryland
4,891,983
622,500
622,500
Massachusetts
5,780,452
735,500
735,500
Michigan
8,031,116
1,021,900
1,021,900
Minnesota
4,494,094
571,800
571,800
Mississippi
2,268,423
288,600
288,600
Missouri
4,873,374
620,100
620,100
Montana
904,578
115,100
127,200
Nebraska
1,521,153
193,600
193,600
Nevada
2,579,031
328,200
328,200
New Hampshire
1,159,668
147,600
147,600
New Jersey
7,455,868
948,700
948,700
New Mexico
1,682,353
214,100
214,100
New York
15,884,969
2,021,200
2,021,200
North Carolina
8,685,722
1,105,200
1,105,200
North Dakota
611,305
77,800
127,200
Ohio
9,308,934
1,184,500
1,184,500
Oklahoma
3,129,179
398,200
398,200
Oregon
3,446,156
438,500
438,500
Pennsylvania
10,448,930
1,329,500
1,329,500
Rhode Island
907,717
115,500
127,200
South Carolina
4,326,760
550,500
550,500
South Dakota
703,963
89,600
127,200
Tennessee
5,645,233
718,300
718,300
Texas
23,625,608
3,006,100
3,006,100
Utah
2,569,984
327,000
327,000
Vermont
535,519
68,100
127,200
Virginia
6,927,764
881,500
881,500
Washington
6,303,143
802,000
802,000
West Virginia
1,421,615
180,900
180,900
Wisconsin
4,719,976
600,600
600,600
Wyoming
459,626
58,500
127,200
Limitations on Contributions by Individuals, Non-Multicandidate Committees and Certain Political Party Committees Giving to U.S. Senate Candidates for the 2025-2026 Election Cycle
The Act requires inflation indexing of: (1) The limitations on contributions made by persons under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) (contributions to candidates) and 30116(a)(1)(B) (contributions to national party committees); and (2) the limitation on contributions made to U.S. Senate candidates by certain political party committees at 52 U.S.C. 30116(h).
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c). These contribution limitations are increased by multiplying the respective statutory contribution amount by 1.77163, the percent difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 2001). 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(B)(i), (2)(B)(ii). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100.
See52 U.S.C. 30116(c); 11 CFR 110.17(b). Contribution limitations shall be adjusted accordingly:
( printed page 8528)
The limitation at 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(A) is to be in effect for the two-year period beginning on the first day following the date of the general election in the preceding year and ending on the date of the next regularly scheduled election. 52 U.S.C. 30116(c)(1)(C); 11 CFR 110.1(b)(1)(ii). Thus the $3,500 figure above is in effect from November 6, 2024, to November 3, 2026. The limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) shall be in effect beginning January 1st of the odd-numbered year and ending on December 31st of the next even-numbered year. 11 CFR 110.1(c)(1)(ii). Thus the new contribution limitations under 52 U.S.C. 30116(a)(1)(B) and 30116(h) are in effect from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026.
See11 CFR 110.17(b)(1).
Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold for 2025
The Act requires certain political committees to disclose contributions bundled by lobbyists/registrants and lobbyist/registrant political action committees once the contributions exceed a specified threshold amount. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(1), (i)(3)(A). The Commission must adjust this threshold amount annually to account for inflation. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B). The disclosure threshold is increased by multiplying the $15,000 statutory disclosure threshold by 1.55601, the difference between the price index, as certified to the Commission by the Secretary of Labor, for the 12 months preceding the beginning of the calendar year and the price index for the base period (calendar year 2006).
See52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3), 30116(c)(1)(B); 11 CFR 104.22(g). The resulting amount is rounded to the nearest multiple of $100. 52 U.S.C. 30104(i)(3)(B), 30116(c)(1)(B)(iii); 11 CFR 104.22(g)(4). Based upon this formula ($15,000 × 1.55601), the lobbyist bundling disclosure threshold for calendar year 2025 is $23,300.
On behalf of the Commission,
Dated: January 24, 2025.
Ellen L. Weintraub,
Chair, Federal Election Commission.
Footnotes
1.
Currently, these are Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
See https://www.house.gov/representatives.
3.
This expenditure limit does not apply to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands because those jurisdictions do not elect Senators.
See 52 U.S.C. 30116(d)(3)(A); 11 CFR 109.32(b)(2)(i).
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
90 FR 8526
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Price Index Adjustments for Contribution and Expenditure Limitations and Lobbyist Bundling Disclosure Threshold,” thefederalregister.org (January 30, 2025), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2025-01941/price-index-adjustments-for-contribution-and-expenditure-limitations-and-lobbyist-bundling-disclosure-threshold.