Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 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.
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 CongressS-4880| Senate
| Updated: 10/26/2020
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.
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