FEC Issues Semi-Annual Federal PAC Count
For Immediate Release: Contact: Kelly Huff
January 25, 2001 Ron Harris
Sharon Snyder
Ian Stirton
FEC ISSUES SEMI-ANNUAL FEDERAL PAC COUNT
WASHINGTON -- The number of federally registered political action committees (PACs)
increased since July 1, 2000, bringing the total number of registered PACs to 3,907,
according to a semi-annual survey taken January 1, 2001, by the Federal Election
Commission.
Corporate PACs remain the largest category, with 1,545 committees, followed by
non-connected - 1,026, trade/membership/health - 860, labor - 317, corporations without
stock - 118, and cooperatives - 41.
PACs sponsored by corporations and labor organizations are technically referred to as
"separate segregated funds" and must register within 10 days of being
established. Non-connected PACs (those which are not connected to or sponsored by a
corporation or labor organization, and which are not related to a candidate''''s campaign or
to a political party organization) must register within 10 days after certain financial
activity exceeds $1,000 during a calendar year.
Registration does not necessarily imply financial activity. Many PACs report making no
contributions to candidates or independent expenditures on behalf of or against
candidates. Financial information on PACs will be included in future FEC news releases.
The following chart details the number of PACs in existence since the end of 1974.
PAC COUNT- 1974 TO PRESENT
(semi-annual)
January 2001
Date
Committee
Type
Total
Corporate
Labor
Trade/
Membership/
Health
Non-
Connected
Cooperative
Corp.
Without
Stock
12/31/74
89
201
318*
608
11/24/751
139
226
357*
722
05/10/762
294
246
452*
992
12/31/76
433
224
489*
1,146
12/31/77
550
234
438
110
8
20
1,360
12/31/78
785
217
453
162
12
24
1,653
08/00/79
885
226
483
206
13
27
1,840
12/31/79
950
240
514
247
17
32
2,000
07/01/80
1,107
255
544
309
23
41
2,279
12/31/80
1,206
297
576
374
42
56
2,551
07/01/81
1,253
303
579
441
38
64
2,678
12/31/81
1,329
318
614
531
41
68
2,901
07/01/82
1,417
350
627
628
45
82
3,149
12/31/82
1,469
380
649
723
47
103
3,371
07/01/83
1,514
379
664
740
50
114
3,461
12/31/83
1,538
378
643
793
51
122
3,525
07/01/84
1,642
381
662
940
53
125
3,803
12/31/84
1,682
394
698
1,053
52
130
4,009
07/01/85
1,687
393
694
1,039
54
133
4,000
12/31/85
1,710
388
695
1,003
54
142
3,992
07/01/86
1,734
386
707
1,063
56
146
4,092
12/31/86
1,744
384
745
1,077
56
151
07/01/87
1,762
377
795
967
56
152
4,109
12/31/87
1,775
364
865
957
59
145
4,165
07/01/88
1,806
355
766
1,066
60
143
4,196
12/31/88
1,816
354
786
1,115
59
138
4,268
07/01/89
1,802
349
831
1,051
58
143
4,234
12/31/89
1,796
349
777
1,060
59
137
4,178
07/01/90
1,782
346
753
1,115
58
139
4,193
12/31/90
1,795
346
774
1,062
59
136
4,172
07/01/91
1,745
339
749
1,096
57
137
4,123
12/31/91
1,738
338
742
1,083
57
136
4,094
07/01/92
1,731
344
759
1,091
56
144
4,125
12/31/92
1,735
347
770
1,145
56
142
4,195
07/01/93
1,715
338
767
1,011
55
139
4,025
12/31/93
1,789
337
761
1,121
56
146
4,210
07/01/94
1,666
336
777
963
53
138
3,933
12/31/94
1,660
333
792
980
53
136
3,954
07/01/95
1,670
334
804
1,002
43
129
3,982
12/31/95
1,674
334
815
1,020
44
129
4,016
07/01/96
1,645
332
829
1,058
43
126
4,033
12/31/96
1,642
332
838
1,103
41
123
4,079
07/01/973
1,602
332
826
953
41
118
3,8753
12/31/97
1,597
332
825
931
42
117
3,844
07/01/98
1,565
325
820
897
43
112
3,762
12/31/98
1,567
321
821
935
39
115
3,798
07/01/99
1,540
318
826
941
38
115
3,778
01/01/00
1,548
318
844
972
38
115
3,835
07/01/00
1,523
316
812
902
39
114
3,706
01/01/01
1,545
317
860
1,026
41
118
3,907
*For 1974-76, these numbers represent all other PACs...no further
categorization is available.
1
On November 24, 1975, the Commission issued Advisory Opinion 1975-23
"SUNPAC".
2
On May 11, 1976, Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments of 1976 (P.L.
94-283) were enacted.
3
During the first six months of 1997, 227 PACs were administratively terminated
because of inactivity.
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