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Protecting Our Democracy Act

USA116th CongressHR-8363| House 
| Updated: 9/23/2020
Adam B. Schiff

Adam B. Schiff

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (92)
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democratic)Dwight Evans (Democratic)Val Butler Demings (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Sylvia R. Garcia (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Tom Malinowski (Democratic)Joyce Beatty (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Ed Case (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Raul Ruiz (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)John A. Yarmuth (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Bill Foster (Democratic)Debra A. Haaland (Democratic)Joe Courtney (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)Terri A. Sewell (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Dina Titus (Democratic)Madeleine Dean (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Donald M. Payne (Democratic)Thomas R. Suozzi (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)John B. Larson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Jim Cooper (Democratic)Joseph D. Morelle (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Dean Phillips (Democratic)Jahana Hayes (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)James A. Himes (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Ami Bera (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Peter J. Visclosky (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Mary Gay Scanlon (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Mike Quigley (Democratic)Lois Frankel (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Sean Casten (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Lori Trahan (Democratic)TJ Cox (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Donna E. Shalala (Democratic)Jason Crow (Democratic)Kweisi Mfume (Democratic)Veronica Escobar (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Katie Porter (Democratic)
Committees (10)
• Committee on House Administration• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee• Ways and Means Committee• Foreign Affairs Committee• Rules Committee• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee• Judiciary Committee• Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee• Oversight and Government Reform Committee• Budget Committee
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
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 any federal offense committed by a sitting President or Vice President; prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, authorizes civil actions by Congress concerning foreign emoluments, and requires the President to make certain disclosures; and sets forth provisions regarding enforcement authority of the Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction. To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill, among other things authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas, requires appropriations to be made available for obligation in a timely manner, imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies, requires DOJ to maintain a log of communications between it and the White House regarding certain investigations, requires cause for removal of inspectors general, increases whistleblower protections, reauthorizes the Merit Systems Protection Board, 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.
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Timeline
Sep 23, 2020
Introduced in House
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Oct 26, 2020

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 116-4880
Introduced in Senate
  • September 23, 2020
    Introduced in House


  • September 23, 2020
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.


  • September 23, 2020
    Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • October 26, 2020

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 116-4880
    Introduced in Senate

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • HR 116-7935: Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2020
  • HR 116-6689: Accountability for Acting Officials Act
  • HR 116-1847: Inspector General Protection Act
  • S 116-4279: REIGN Act of 2020
  • HR 116-7864: Merit Systems Protection Board Empowerment Act of 2020
  • HR 116-6984: Inspector General Independence Act
  • HR 116-8335: Congressional Subpoena Compliance and Enforcement Act of 2020
  • HR 116-2678: No President is Above the Law Act of 2020
  • S 116-3889: Congressional Power of the Purse Act
  • HR 116-3395: Prohibiting Foreign Election Assistance Act of 2019
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAppropriationsBudget processCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA)Civil actions and liabilityCongressional electionsCongressional-executive branch relationsCongressional oversightCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal procedure and sentencingDefense spendingDepartment of DefenseDepartment of JusticeDirector of National IntelligenceElections, voting, political campaign regulationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsEvidence and witnessesExecutive agency funding and structureFederal officialsFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationJudgesJudicial procedure and administrationLabor standardsLawyers and legal servicesLegal fees and court costsLegislative rules and procedureMerit Systems Protection BoardMilitary operations and strategyNational Security AgencyOffice of Government EthicsPolitical advertisingPolitical parties and affiliationPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsPublic participation and lobbyingResearch administration and fundingRight of privacySubversive activitiesSupreme CourtTariffsWar and emergency powers

Protecting Our Democracy Act

USA116th CongressHR-8363| House 
| Updated: 9/23/2020
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 any federal offense committed by a sitting President or Vice President; prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, authorizes civil actions by Congress concerning foreign emoluments, and requires the President to make certain disclosures; and sets forth provisions regarding enforcement authority of the Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction. To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill, among other things authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas, requires appropriations to be made available for obligation in a timely manner, imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies, requires DOJ to maintain a log of communications between it and the White House regarding certain investigations, requires cause for removal of inspectors general, increases whistleblower protections, reauthorizes the Merit Systems Protection Board, 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.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Sep 23, 2020
Introduced in House
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Oct 26, 2020

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 116-4880
Introduced in Senate
  • September 23, 2020
    Introduced in House


  • September 23, 2020
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.


  • September 23, 2020
    Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • October 26, 2020

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 116-4880
    Introduced in Senate
Adam B. Schiff

Adam B. Schiff

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (92)
Brenda L. Lawrence (Democratic)Dwight Evans (Democratic)Val Butler Demings (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)John Garamendi (Democratic)Sylvia R. Garcia (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Marc A. Veasey (Democratic)Tom Malinowski (Democratic)Joyce Beatty (Democratic)David N. Cicilline (Democratic)Ed Case (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Raul Ruiz (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)John A. Yarmuth (Democratic)Ben Ray Luján (Democratic)Carolyn B. Maloney (Democratic)Bill Foster (Democratic)Debra A. Haaland (Democratic)Joe Courtney (Democratic)Pete Aguilar (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)Terri A. Sewell (Democratic)Eric Swalwell (Democratic)Dina Titus (Democratic)Madeleine Dean (Democratic)Steve Cohen (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Donald M. Payne (Democratic)Thomas R. Suozzi (Democratic)Rosa L. DeLauro (Democratic)Adriano Espaillat (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (Democratic)André Carson (Democratic)John B. Larson (Democratic)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Jim Cooper (Democratic)Joseph D. Morelle (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Dean Phillips (Democratic)Jahana Hayes (Democratic)David E. Price (Democratic)Hakeem S. Jeffries (Democratic)James A. Himes (Democratic)Jerrold Nadler (Democratic)Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)Ami Bera (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Peter J. Visclosky (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brad Sherman (Democratic)Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democratic)Mary Gay Scanlon (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Richard E. Neal (Democratic)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Joe Neguse (Democratic)Mike Quigley (Democratic)Lois Frankel (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Sean Casten (Democratic)Diana DeGette (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Nydia M. Velázquez (Democratic)Julia Brownley (Democratic)Rick Larsen (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Lori Trahan (Democratic)TJ Cox (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Mike Thompson (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Zoe Lofgren (Democratic)Donna E. Shalala (Democratic)Jason Crow (Democratic)Kweisi Mfume (Democratic)Veronica Escobar (Democratic)Gerald E. Connolly (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Grace F. Napolitano (Democratic)Katie Porter (Democratic)
Committees (10)
• Committee on House Administration• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee• Ways and Means Committee• Foreign Affairs Committee• Rules Committee• Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee• Judiciary Committee• Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee• Oversight and Government Reform Committee• Budget Committee

Government Operations and Politics

Related Bills

  • HR 116-7935: Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2020
  • HR 116-6689: Accountability for Acting Officials Act
  • HR 116-1847: Inspector General Protection Act
  • S 116-4279: REIGN Act of 2020
  • HR 116-7864: Merit Systems Protection Board Empowerment Act of 2020
  • HR 116-6984: Inspector General Independence Act
  • HR 116-8335: Congressional Subpoena Compliance and Enforcement Act of 2020
  • HR 116-2678: No President is Above the Law Act of 2020
  • S 116-3889: Congressional Power of the Purse Act
  • HR 116-3395: Prohibiting Foreign Election Assistance Act of 2019
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAppropriationsBudget processCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA)Civil actions and liabilityCongressional electionsCongressional-executive branch relationsCongressional oversightCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal procedure and sentencingDefense spendingDepartment of DefenseDepartment of JusticeDirector of National IntelligenceElections, voting, political campaign regulationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsEvidence and witnessesExecutive agency funding and structureFederal officialsFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationJudgesJudicial procedure and administrationLabor standardsLawyers and legal servicesLegal fees and court costsLegislative rules and procedureMerit Systems Protection BoardMilitary operations and strategyNational Security AgencyOffice of Government EthicsPolitical advertisingPolitical parties and affiliationPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsPublic participation and lobbyingResearch administration and fundingRight of privacySubversive activitiesSupreme CourtTariffsWar and emergency powers