Protecting Our Democracy Act

Protecting Our Democracy Act

This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) foreign interference in elections.

Specifically, regarding abuses of presidential power, the bill

• requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the President to submit to Congress specified materials relating to certain pardons,
• prohibits self-pardons by the President,
• suspends the statute of limitations for federal offenses committed by a sitting President or Vice President,
• prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, and
• sets forth provisions regarding Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction and enforcement authority.

To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill

• authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas,
• imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies,
• requires DOJ to maintain a log of specified communications between itself and the White House,
• requires cause for removal of inspectors general,
• increases whistleblower protections,
• requires a candidate for President or Vice President to submit to the Federal Election Commission a copy of the individual's income tax returns for the 10 most recent taxable years, and
• establishes penalties for political appointees who engage in prohibited political activities.

To protect against foreign interference in elections, the bill

• requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts,
• requires federal campaigns to establish a foreign contacts compliance policy, and
• specifies that foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates of nonpublic information relating to a candidate are prohibited.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov