House Passes the Protecting Our Democracy Act Bill to Curb Presidential Excesses

By Ben Rodriguez On Dec 11, 2021

A Bill sponsored by Democrat’s Rep. Schiff, Adam B. dubbed the Protecting our Democracy Act passed the House on Thursday 9th December 2021.

While the Democrats believed that this bill is for the preservation of the nations’ democracy, the Republicans believe that it’s all about attacking former president Trump and clipping his wings peradventure he is back in the next election.

This bill is destined to die in the senate because the bill needs 60 votes for it to be passed and eventually become a law which includes 10 Republican votes.

The Content of the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

If this bill becomes law, it will address abuses of presidential power, checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, and check issues related to foreign interference in elections.

This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the President to submit to Congress specified materials relating to certain pardons, self-pardon is prohibited for the President, no more limitation 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.

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 it and the White House, requires a 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.

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.

What the Democrats are Saying?

Pelosi said on the House floor ahead of the bill’s passage. “Disturbingly, the last administration saw our democracy in crisis with a rogue president who trampled over the guardrails protecting our Republic. Now, Congress has the solemn responsibility and opportunity to safeguard our democracy, ensuring that past abuses can never be perpetrated by any president of any party.”

“It’s not about politics, it’s about the survival of our democratic system of government,” Schiff said on the House floor.

The republicans on the other hand are saying something else.

“Maybe instead of having another bill attacking former President Trump, we should focus on things that the American people care about,” Ohio Rep Jim Jordan said.

“They have spent a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of tax dollars on trying to peddle a lot of wrongdoing in the previous administration. This bill is all about the previous administration,” said Kentucky Rep. James Comer.