527 Reform Act of 2005

The 527 Reform Act of 2005 aims to bring "527 organizations"—tax-exempt groups that often engage in political activities—under the same federal oversight and fundraising rules as traditional political action committees (PACs). Under this bill, these groups would be required to register with the Federal Election Commission if they spend money on public communications that support or attack specific federal candidates or conduct large-scale voter mobilization drives. For the average citizen, this would mean increased transparency regarding who is funding political advertisements and would limit the use of "soft money" (unregulated contributions) to influence federal elections.