S. 1849: Zeroing Out Money for Buying Influence after Elections (ZOMBIE) Act
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-05-21 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] |
| Policy area | Government Operations and Politics |
| Cosponsors | 0 |
| Latest action | 2025-05-21 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. |
| Last updated | 2025-08-15 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-05-21):
Zeroing Out Money for Buying Influence after Elections (ZOMBIE) Act
This bill establishes certain requirements for disbursing unused funds after a federal election. The bill also requires former candidates serving as registered lobbyists or foreign agents to comply with disbursement requirements.
Specifically, the bill requires each authorized committee or leadership political action committee (PAC) of a candidate to disburse all unused funds within a specified time period beginning after an election or before the candidate registers as a lobbyist or foreign agent, unless the candidate files to run for office again before the disbursement period begins.
A committee or PAC disbursing unspent funds shall first pay any obligations incurred. If funds are left over, the committee or PAC may only disburse the remaining funds for the following purposes: (1) returning funds to donors; and (2) making contributions to nonprofit organizations. The bill generally prohibits disbursements to relatives of the candidate or certain nonprofit organizations related to the candidate.
A former candidate must, in order to register as a lobbyist or foreign agent, comply with the disbursement requirements outlined by this bill.
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 1849 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
View S. 1849 on congress.gov →
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 1849?
S. 1849 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Zeroing Out Money for Buying Influence after Elections (ZOMBIE) Act.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 1849 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).