The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency created by Congress in 1975 to enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA). It administers and enforces campaign finance law for federal elections — presidential, Senate, and House races. The FEC has six members appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, with no more than three from any one political party. It requires a quorum of four commissioners to take official action, including opening investigations, approving settlements, issuing advisory opinions to campaigns, and adopting regulations. The FEC also maintains the public database of campaign contributions and expenditures that citizens can access.