An organization formed to promote its members' views on selected issues, usually by raising money that is used to fund candidates who support the group's position.

PACs monitor candidates' voting records, question them on their beliefs on issues of interest to their membership and pass the collected information along to their contributors.

Because federal law restricts the amount of money an individual, corporation or union can give to candidates, PACs have become an important way of funneling large funds into the political process and influencing elections.