The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, was passed in 2002 to regulate political campaign financing. It aimed to reduce the influence of large contributions by restricting unlimited donations to political parties and banning soft money—funds donated to parties for general purposes, not specific candidates. The law also limits the airing of "issue advocacy" ads close to elections to prevent misleading campaigns. Overall, it seeks to increase transparency and fairness in how money influences politics, ensuring that elections are more about ideas than financial power.