Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act

Increased restrictions on foreign money: The bill adds several specific activities—such as voter registration, ballot collection, voter identification, and get-out-the-vote activity—as prohibited contribution categories for foreign nationals (Section 2(a)).

Clarified scope of elections: The bill clarifies that the term "Federal, State, or local election" includes State or local ballot initiatives, referenda, and recall elections (Section 2(b)).

Privacy protections for donors: The bill prohibits Federal Government entities from collecting or disclosing information that identifies donors to tax-exempt organizations (Section 3(a) and Section 3(b)).

Accountability for government employees: The Act establishes that any officer or employee of the United States who willfully discloses donor information without authorization faces felony charges, including fines and potential dismissal from office (Section 3(d)).

New burdens on reporting: Political committees, those making independent expenditures, and those involved in electioneering communications must now provide certifications under penalty of perjury regarding compliance with foreign money restrictions (Section 2(f)).

Increased risk of legal issues for those aiding violations: A person can be held liable for knowingly aiding or facilitating a violation of the foreign money ban (Section 2(c)).

Potential restrictions on investigation scope: The bill limits the scope of investigations by the Commission to the specific factual matters necessary to determine if a violation occurred (Section 2(e)).