Our friends at Sunlight [3] have been closely following S.223 [4], a bill which would require senators to file their campaign finance reports in electronic form (as House members already do). The bill [5], sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold [6] (D-Wis.), currently has 34 cosponsors (19 Dem., 13 Rep., and 2 Ind.). Despite this bipartisan support, it is currently being blocked from coming to the floor for a vote by one anonymous senator who has placed a "hold" on it.

Here's Sunlight's Paul Blumenthal to discuss the matter in more detail and explain how you can help solve the "hold" mystery:

Yet again an anonymous Senator has placed a secret hold on legislation that would increase transparency. This time a secret hold has been placed on a bill, S. 223, that would mandate that Senators file their campaign finance reports electronically. This process would not only make these reports more readily available to the public but would also save money and resources.

Yesterday this bill was blocked by an anonymous Senator who placed a secret hold on the bill. Secret holds are so looked down on these days that earlier this year the Senate itself banned the practice, although the bill containing that provision has yet to become law. But until secret holds are banished forever, we need your help in exposing the culprit who is blocking consideration of the electronic filing requirement for Senate campaign finance reports.

We need your help to find out who placed this secret hold! Call your Senators (get contact numbers here [7]) and ask them if they are the one with the secret hold on S. 223. Then report back here in the comments with your findings or contact us using this contact form [8]. On it is a list of Senators, organized by state, and their contact info. If a Senator issues a denial we will indicate that next to their name.