Congress 117 - HR 5314 - Protecting Our Democracy Act

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Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Appropriations Budget process Civil actions and liability Congressional committees Congressional oversight Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Criminal procedure and sentencing Defense spending Department of Justice Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Employment discrimination and employee rights Evidence and witnesses Executive agency funding and structure Federal officials Federal-Indian relations Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Government ethics and transparency, public corruption Government information and archives Government Operations and Politics Government studies and investigations House of Representatives Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Judicial procedure and administration Judicial review and appeals Labor standards Lawyers and legal services Legal fees and court costs Merit Systems Protection Board Military operations and strategy Office of Government Ethics Office of Special Counsel Political parties and affiliation Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents Research administration and funding Right of privacy Scientific communication Senate Tariffs Tax administration and collection, taxpayers War and emergency powers

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Summary

Protecting Our Democracy Act

This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) election integrity and security.

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 presidential self-pardons,
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 it and the White House,
requires cause for removal of inspectors general,
increases whistleblower protections, and
requires a candidate for President or Vice President to provide copies of tax returns for the 10 most recent taxable years to the Federal Election Commission.

To address election integrity and security, the bill

requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts,
makes various changes to requirements concerning foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates and foreign contributions to online electioneering communications,
prohibits distribution of materially deceptive audio or visual media prior to an election (i.e., deepfakes), and
establishes a program to support states and localities transition to ranked choice voting systems.

Actions

Dec 13, 2021

Received in the Senate.
Dec 9, 2021

The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 5314.
Dec 9, 2021

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Dec 9, 2021

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 440).
Dec 9, 2021

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 440).
Dec 9, 2021

On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 217 (Roll no. 439).
Dec 9, 2021

The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
Dec 9, 2021

Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to recommit to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. (text: CR H7616)
Dec 9, 2021

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Dec 9, 2021

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on agreeing to amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed. (consideration: CR H7613)
Dec 9, 2021

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Ocasio-Cortez amendment No. 25, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Comer demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Dec 9, 2021

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 838, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Ocasio-Cortez amendment No. 25.
Dec 9, 2021

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney en bloc No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendments and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Comer demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Dec 9, 2021

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 838, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney amendment en bloc No. 2.
Dec 9, 2021

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney en bloc No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendments and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Comer demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Dec 9, 2021

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 838, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Carolyn B. Maloney amendment en bloc No. 1.
Dec 9, 2021

DEBATE - The House continued with debate on H.R. 5314.
Dec 9, 2021

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5314.
Dec 9, 2021

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5314, S. 1605 and S. 610 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. Rule makes in order for the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or a designee that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV with respect to multiple measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on certain legislative days.
Dec 9, 2021

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 838. (consideration: CR H7562-7617)
Dec 7, 2021

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 838 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5314, S. 1605 and S. 610 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order. Rule makes in order for the Speaker may entertain motions offered by the Majority Leader or a designee that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV with respect to multiple measures that were the object of motions to suspend the rules on certain legislative days.
Sep 22, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Sep 21, 2021

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.
Sep 21, 2021

Introduced in House

Amendments

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