Funding inaugural committee activities

After Election Day, the President-elect and various federal and state agencies begin planning for inauguration. An inaugural committee is appointed by the President-elect to be in charge of the presidential inaugural ceremony and activities connected with the ceremony. This committee may accept donations but must file a report with the FEC.

Activities of the inaugural committee

The presidential inaugural committee is appointed by the President-elect to be in charge of the presidential inaugural ceremony and the functions and activities connected with the ceremony. The inaugural committee plans and finances all inaugural events, other than the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol and the luncheon honoring the President and Vice President, including opening ceremonies, the parade, galas and balls. (The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which is formed by a congressional resolution every four years, several months in advance of the presidential election, plans and finances the presidential inaugural events held at the Capitol, including the swearing-in ceremony and the congressional luncheon to honor the President and Vice President.)

The inaugural committee also receives special privileges in the District of Columbia beginning five days before and ending four days after the inaugural ceremony. Chapter 5 of title 36 of the United States Code authorizes Congress to make appropriations for the inauguration; however, the appropriations are limited to funding the costs of municipal services associated with the inaugural events. Accordingly, the inaugural committee accepts donations to cover the costs associated with all other inaugural events.

Donations to the inaugural committee

Foreign nationals are prohibited from making and inaugural committees are prohibited from knowingly accepting donations from foreign nationals.

While donations to an inaugural committee are not subject to any contribution amount limitations, corporations and labor organizations are permitted to make donations to an inaugural committee.

Reporting

The inaugural committee must disclose, in a report filed with the Commission within 90 days after the inaugural ceremony, certain donations made to the inaugural committee.

Political committees making donations to the inaugural committee report such donations on Schedule B for Line 29 (Other Disbursements) on their FEC reports.