Paying for America’s Elections: The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 and Information Access

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the legislative history of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), known popularly as McCain-Feingold. It will also explore the challenges to the act in the courts. The paper will conclude with a review of access to campaign finance reports resulting from the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. With a rich legislative history that spans several Congresses as well as a history of judicial interventions which have shaped the law as it stands today, it is pertinent that the American people have access to information associated with the law so as to better understand the federal election process and assess its strengths and weaknesses in advance of the 2020 elections.