In the US, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regarless of size, organized to elect or defeat government officials or to promote or defeat legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a matter of state and federal law. Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, an organization becomes a "political committee" by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1,000 for the purpose of influencing a federal election.