Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) today announced that he is the only freshman member of Congress who will appear as an original cosponsor of the Honest Ads Act in the 116th Congress. The bill is aimed at strengthening our democracy - as well as national security - by increasing the transparency and accountability of digital political advertising. The Honest Ads Act has bipartisan support, boasting an equal number of Republican and Democratic sponsors.
 

“Our democracy faces threats from both the inside and outside,” said Phillips. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in digital political communication and advertising. From dark money groups circumventing disclosure requirements, to foreign governments interfering in our elections, it is time to update laws to protect our democracy. The Honest Ads Act does that in a bipartisan fashion. I thank Sen. Klobuchar for her leadership and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.”
 

The Honest Ads Act will update disclosure requirements for political advertising for the digital age. Specifically, the bill requires the same disclosures for digital political ads that are currently in place for broadcast, expands public filing requirements and requires all advertising platforms to do more to prevent foreign interests from influencing the American political conversation.
 

The Honest Ads Act is also part of the sweeping reform package known as the For the People Act (H.R.1) which Rep. Phillips sponsored on his first day in Congress. Last week, H.R.1 received its first committee hearings and is scheduled for a floor vote sometime next month. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is author of the Honest Ads Act companion in the Senate.

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