The current version of the spending bill in Congress prevents the SEC from using authorized funds to require disclosure of political contributions. Tucked away on page 1982 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 is the following text:

“None of the funds made available by any division of this Act shall be used by the Securities and Exchange Commission to finalize, issue, or implement any rule, regulation, or order regarding the disclosure of political contributions, contributions to tax exempt organizations, or dues paid to trade associations.”

While highly controversial, it may be difficult for opponents to derail at this point.

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