Political action committee

A political action committee (PAC) is a type of political committee organized to spend money for the election or defeat of a candidate. The PAC was created in 1944 by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The CIO used their PAC to contribute money to pro-union candidates for office and to get around the Smith-Connally Act, which banned direct union contributions to candidates. Business groups began to create PACs in the 1960s and 1970s to counter the strength of the union PACs. In the 1980s Members of Congress began creating Leadership PACs to distribute money to members of their party with the intent of gaining clout within the party. By 1994 at least 38 Members of Congress had Leadership PACs. Today, there are hundreds of Members with Leadership PACs (see below).

PACs are required to file with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) within 10 days of opening. Campaign Finance restrictions state that PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special); give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. PACs may receive up to $5,000 from any one individual, PAC or party committee per calendar year.

Although most political action committees would be considered either conservative or liberal -- Republican or Democrat -- many are non-partisan, favoring neither political party, and focus on issues rather than party affiliation.

Major business PACs

 * American Bankers Association
 * Business Industry Political Action Committee
 * Lignite Energy Council Political Action Committee
 * National Association of Realtors
 * National Beer Wholesalers Association
 * National Assn of Home Builders
 * National Auto Dealers Association
 * United Parcel Service

Major Labor PACs

 * AFL-CIO
 * American Federation of Teachers
 * American Federation of State/County/Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
 * International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
 * Laborers Union
 * Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
 * Teamsters Union
 * United Auto Workers
 * AFL-CIO

Ideological PACs

 * ActBlue
 * America Coming Together
 * America's PAC
 * Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee
 * Black America's PAC
 * Campaign for Working Families
 * Club for Growth
 * EMILY's List
 * Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
 * Human Rights Campaign
 * MAF Freedom PAC
 * Moveon.org
 * NARAL
 * National Organization for Women
 * National Republican Trust PAC
 * National Rifle Association
 * National Right to Life PAC
 * One Million Republicans PAC
 * Our Country Deserves Better
 * Republican Issues Campaign (Web)
 * Take A Stand (Web)
 * Together for Our Majority Political Action Committee
 * Volunteer PAC
 * Working For Us PAC

Additional PACs

 * Accountability Now
 * Iranian American Political Action Committee
 * National Security Political Action Committee
 * Texans for a Republican Majority PAC
 * US-Cuba Democracy PAC


 * Links to Republican PACs, Organizations, Commitees, and Caucuses

Current Congressional Leadership PACs
{| class="wikitable" ! Member of Congress ! PAC ! Member of Congress ! PAC ! Member of Congress ! PAC ! Member of Congress ! PAC Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga) 13th Colony Leadership Cmte  Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)  DANPAC  Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif)  Leadership of Today & Tomorrow  Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill)  Re-elect Freshmen of the Repub Majority Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) 21st Century Majority Fund  Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala)  Defend America PAC  Del. Luis Fortuno (R-PR) Leading Us In Success PAC  Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla)  RED PAC Rep. Howard McKeon (R-Calif) 21st Century PAC  Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla)  Democracy Believers PAC  Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas)  Liberty PAC  Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga)  Red Rooster Leadership PAC Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WVa) 3T PAC  Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher  (D-Calif)  Democrats for the Future  Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas)  Longhorn PAC  Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo)  Rely on Your Beliefs Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill) Abraham Lincoln Leadership PAC  Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)  Denali PAC  Sen. David Vitter (R-La)  Louisiana Reform PAC  Rep. Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ)  Renewing Opportunity, Trust & Hope Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland (R-Ga) Acton PAC  Rep. Charles Dent (R-Pa)  DENT PAC  Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash)  M-PAC  Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga)  Republican Majority Fund Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) Alamo PAC  Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)  Dirigo PAC  Rep. John Mica (R-Fla)  Majority In Congress PAC  Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif)  Rescue California Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) Alliance for the West  Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga)  DOC PAC  Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich)  Majority Initiative-Keep Electing Repubs  Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Miss)  Responsibility & Freedom Work PAC Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) Aloha PAC  Rep. David Wu (D-Ore)  Education & Opportunity Fund  Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa)  Majority PAC  Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn)  Responsibility/Opportunity/Community PAC Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) America Works  Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md)  Empowering Each Community PAC  Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo)  Making Business Excel PAC  Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan)  Restore America PAC Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif) American Success PAC  Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif)  Eureka PAC  Rep. Mary Bono (R-Calif)  Mary's PAC  Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI)  Rhode Island PAC Rep. Christopher Shays (R) Americans for Common Sense Government  Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va)  Every Republican is Crucial PAC  Rep. Michael Capuano (D-Mass)  Mass PAC  Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn)  Road to Victory PAC Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind) Americans for Responsible Leadership  Rep. Thomas Davis (R-Va)  Federal Victory Fund  Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)  Midnight Sun  Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC)  Robin PAC Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md) AmeriPAC: The Fund for a Greater America  Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla)  Federalist PAC  Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ)  Mike PAC  Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo)  Rocky Mountain PAC Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla) ANDER PAC  Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del)  First State PAC  Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich)  Milead Fund  Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb)  Sandhills PAC Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) Arkansas for Leadership  Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry (R-Neb)  For Our Republic's Traditions Fund  Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine)  Mill to the Hill PAC  Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ)  SAXPAC Rep. Richard H. Baker (R-La) Back America's Conservatives PAC  Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla)  Freedom & Democracy Fund  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)  MINT PAC  Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev)  Searchlight Leadership Fund Rep. Tom Petri (R-Ohio) Badger Fund  Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)  Freedom Fund  Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif)  Moderate Victory Fund  Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas)  Secure America's Majority PAC Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis) Badger PAC  Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio)  Freedom Project  Rep. Melvin L. Watt (D-NC)  Motivating Energetic Leadership PAC  Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif)  SecureUS Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md) BARTLETT PAC  Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla)  Fund for a Conservative Future  Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla)  Moving America Forward  Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz)  Senate Majority Fund Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev) Battle Born PAC  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)  Fund for America's Future  Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)  Narragansett Bay PAC  Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss)  Senate Victory Fund Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn) Betty PAC  Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif)  Future Leaders PAC  Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)  National Leadership PAC  Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC)  Sharp Pencil PAC Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa) Big Tent PAC  Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont)  Glacier PAC  Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb)  Nebraska Leadership PAC  Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)  Shore PAC Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) Bluegrass Cmte  Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va)  Good Fund  Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill)  New American Leadership Fund  Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO)  Show Me PAC Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich) BRIDGE PAC  Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND)  Great Plains Leadership Fund  Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wa)  New Apollo Energy  Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo)  Show-Me Fund Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) Buckeye PAC  Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt)  Green Mountain PAC  Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)  New Millennium PAC  Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev)  Silver State 21st Century PAC Rep. Patrick J. Tiberi (R-Ohio) Buckeye State PAC  Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala)  Growth & Prosperity PAC  Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Ca)  New PAC  Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah)  SNOWPAC Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Build America PAC  Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla)  Harvest PAC  Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss)  New Republican Majority Fund  Rep. George Miller (D-Calif)  Solidarity PAC Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md) Building A Majority PAC  Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)  Hawkeye PAC  Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)  Next Century Fund  Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN)  Storm Chasers Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont) Building Our Opportunities Together PAC  Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan)  Heart PAC  Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)  NODAK PAC  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz)  Straight Talk America Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind) Calumet PAC  Sen. John Thune (R-SD)  Heartland Values PAC  Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)  Northern Lights PAC  Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)  Summit PAC Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) Campaign for America's Future  Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky)  Help America's Leaders  Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn)  Northstar Leadership PAC  Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif)  Superior California Fed Leadership Fund Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-MD) Campaign for Maryland  Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla)  Help Elect America's Team PAC  Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill)  Our Common Values PAC  Rep. John B. Larson (D-Conn)  Synergy PAC Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) CANDICE PAC  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)  HILLPAC  Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)  Our Congress PAC  Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala)  Tallatchee Creek Inc Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) CARE PAC  Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore)  Holding Onto Oregon's Priorities  Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif)  PAC for a Change  Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn)  Tenn PAC Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) Carolina Majority PAC  Sen. Barack Obama  Hope Fund  Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif)  PAC for Democracy  Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas)  Texas Freedom Fund Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) CARTER PAC  Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga)  House Majority Fund  Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif)  PAC to the Future  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)  To Organize a Majority PAC Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo) Changing Tide Cmte  Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-Ore)  Impact America  Rep. Paul E. Gillmor (R-Ohio)  Patriots for United Leadership  Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-NY)  Together for Our Majority Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn) CHRIS PAC  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)  Independent Action  Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif)  Peace Through Strength PAC  Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich)  TRUST PAC Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) Cmte for a Democratic Future  Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla)  IRL PAC  Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo)  Peak PAC  Joseph Biden (D-DE)  Unite Our States Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass) Cmte for a Democratic Majority  Sen. Mary L. Landrieu (D-La)  Jazz PAC  Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas)  People for Enterprise/Trade/Econ Growth  Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY)  Velazquez Victory Fund Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) Cmte for a Livable Future  Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas)  Jobs, Economy & Budget Fund  Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif)  People Helping People  Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md)  Victory Now PAC Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis) Cmte for a Progressive Congress  Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY)  Jobs, Opportunities & Education PAC  Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)  People's House PAC  Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla)  Victory PAC Rep. Bud Cramer (D-Ala) Cmte for Common Sense in Government  Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill)  John S Fund  Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM)  Pete's PAC  Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)  Virginia Leadership PAC Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) Cmte for Leadership & Progress  Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill)  Keep Our Majority PAC  Rep. David Hobson (R-Ohio)  Pioneer PAC  Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga)  Voice for Freedom Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va) Cmte for Southwest Virginia  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass)  Keeping America's Promise  Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky)  Political Hall of Fame PAC  Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)  Wedge PAC Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La) Cmte for the Preservation of Capitalism  Rep. Pete King (R-NY)  KingPAC  Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill)  Prairie PAC  Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY)  Western Action PAC Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) COLDPAC  Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO)  KITPAC  Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan)  Preserving America's Traditions  Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)  White Mountain PAC Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla) COLE PAC  Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas)  KPAC  Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind)  Principles Exalt A Nation PAC  Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla)  ZackPAC Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) Common Sense Common Solutions  Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif)  LA PAC  Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR)  Priority PAC  Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)  Zia PAC Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga) Common Sense Leadership Fund  Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn)  Leadership 21  Sen. Russell D. Feingold (D-Wis)  Progressive Patriots Fund Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich) Continuing a Majority Party Action Cmte  Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)  Leadership Circle PAC  Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio)  Promoting Republicans You Can Elect Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) DAKPAC  Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz)  Leadership for America's Future  Rep. Phil English (R-Pa)  Prosperity Helps Inspire Liberty PAC Sen. John E. Sununu (R-NH) Daniel Webster PAC  Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark)  Leadership in the New Century  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis)  Prosperity PAC

Related SourceWatch articles

 * 527 committee
 * Bush administration smear campaigns: John Forbes Kerry
 * Edward W. Gillespie
 * Federal Election Commission
 * Media Fund
 * National Republican Congressional Committee
 * National Republican Senatorial Committee
 * Political terms
 * soft money

External resources

 * PACs and how much they give to Democrats vs Republicans, Open Secrets, accessed November 2010.