Measures intend to diminish executive branch autonomy and increase legislative powers.
Certain leaders in Congress have unveiled a new package of reforms this week, less than six weeks before the November 3 election. According to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the package intends to “prevent future presidential abuses, restore our system of checks and balances, strengthen accountability and transparency, and protect our elections.”
Members putting the legislation forward expect to consider the “Protecting Our Democracy Act” next year, should their party win the White House, the current House majority be maintained, and a majority gained in the Senate.
The new measure would suspend the statute of limitations for federal crimes committed by a sitting president or vice president, codify the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause, tighten oversight of pardons, strengthen congressional subpoena powers and enhance protections for whistleblowers and inspectors general.
It would also require political committees to report foreign contacts and expands the federal prohibition against foreign campaign contributions to include information sought or obtained for political advantage.
“I think these reforms will have bipartisan support next year,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told a news conference, saying that the current Senate led by Senator Mitch McConnell would not be expected to consider such a measure.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For partisan dissent to diminish and the good of the nation to be the focus of Congress.
- For U.S. officials working to prevent foreign interference in American elections.
- For the coming election to be fair and free from fraud.
Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg News, Oversight.House.gov
