Protecting Our Democracy Act

Prevention of Presidential Self-Pardons: The bill declares that any attempt by a President to pardon themselves is void and provides no legal immunity from investigation or prosecution (Section 1104).

Accountability for Criminal Conduct: Former Presidents convicted of a felony related to their time in office would face the forfeiture of certain benefits, such as monetary allowances (Section 1204).

Increased Transparency in Pardons: Recipients of a pardon must submit financial disclosure reports regarding gifts given to the President, which are then published online (Section 1105).

Protection Against Foreign Influence: The bill prohibits the acceptance of foreign emoluments by those holding office of profit or trust, which helps prevent undisclosed financial advantages from foreign governments (Section 1303).

Enhanced Whistleblower Protections: The Act includes provisions to improve and enhance protections for whistleblowers, including those within the intelligence community (Section 2421, Section 2441).

Increased Protection of Identity: The bill prohibits agency employees from willfully sharing a whistleblower's identity without express written consent, providing greater privacy for those coming forward (Section 2421(c)).

Right to Petition Congress: The law explicitly protects the right of federal employees to petition or furnish information to Congress without fear of retaliation (Section 2421(b) and (d)).

Strengthened Congressional Oversight: The bill gives Congress more power to enforce subpoenas and oversee how the President uses national emergency powers and budget authority (Section 2102, Section 2221, Section 2261).

Improved Ethics in Government: High-level appointees must sign a binding ethics pledge that includes bans on accepting gifts from lobbyists and restrictions on participating in matters related to former employers (Section 2642).

Increased Financial Transparency for Candidates: Candidates for President and Vice President are required to submit their income tax returns for the ten most recent years to the Federal Election Commission, which are then made available to the public (Section 2701).

Strengthened Election Integrity: The bill requires political committees to report "reportable foreign contacts" to the FBI and the FEC, helping to track potential foreign interference in elections (Section 3101).

Increased Transparency in Digital Advertising: By requiring online platforms to maintain public records of qualified political advertisements, including details on audience reach and costs, voters can better understand how they are being targeted (Section s 3305(a)(1)(A) and 3305(a)(2)).

Clearer Identification of Political Sponsors: The bill mandates that online platforms display a visible notice identifying the sponsor of a political advertisement, helping people know who is paying for the messages they see (Section 3307(a)(1)(A)).

Protection of Civil Service Integrity: The "Saving the Civil Service Act" limits the ability to move employees from the competitive service to the excepted service without their written consent, which protects existing jobs (Section 3402(b)(4)).

Enhanced Accountability for High-Level Visitors: The requirement for the President to maintain a publicly available database of visitor records at the White House and other locations allows for greater transparency regarding who is meeting with leadership (Section 3502(a) and 3502(b)).

Prevention of Corruption in Executive Appointments: The "No Corporate Crooks Act" prevents individuals convicted of specific corruption-related crimes while serving as a chief executive from being appointed to the executive branch (Section 3602(a)(1)).

Closing Bribery Loopholes: By clarifying that an "official act" can be a single act or a course of conduct, the law makes it harder to circumvent bribery regulations (Section s 3802(a)(3)(A)).

Legal Burdens for Pardon Recipients: Individuals receiving a pardon are subject to new, specific requirements to report financial gifts given to the President (Section 1105).

Impact on Former Presidents' Benefits: A former President may lose their monetary allowance and be required to repay certain amounts if they are finally convicted of a felony (Section 1204).

Restrictions on Legal Defense Funds: The bill establishes specific limitations on what types of payments can be accepted by legal expense funds for the President or political appointees (Section 1308).

Limitations on Inaugural Committees: Inaugural Committees are prohibited from soliciting or receiving donations from foreign nationals or non-individuals, and there is a cap on how much an individual can donate (Section 325).

Restrictions on Acting Officials: Individuals serving in an acting capacity face stricter eligibility requirements and may be subject to mandatory appearances before Congressional committees (Section 2502).

Mandatory Ethics Pledge Requirements: Executive appointees must commit to several restrictions, such as a two-year ban on participating in certain matters related to former clients or employers, which may affect their future employment flexibility (Section 2642).

Increased Burdens on Political Committees: Political committees are now required to establish and maintain specific policies regarding the reporting and retention of records related to foreign contacts (Section 3102).

Criminal Penalties for Election Violations: The bill introduces significant fines and potential imprisonment for individuals who knowingly violate new campaign finance reporting requirements regarding foreign contacts (Section 3103).

Increased Burdens on Online Platforms: Large online platforms are now required to maintain extensive, machine-readable records of political advertisements for at least four years, which includes detailed audience and financial data (Section 3305(a)(1)(A) and 3305(a)(5)).

Strict Disclaimer Requirements for Digital Content: Digital communications must now meet specific "clear and conspicuous" standards for text, audio, or video, which could create technical or financial burdens for those creating such content (Section 3304(a) and 3304(b)(2)).

Restrictions on Civil Service Transfers: While protecting current employees, the bill limits an agency's ability to transfer employees into the excepted service, which could impact agency management (Section 3402(b)(3)).

Financial Penalties for Political Conventions: Political parties or candidates face significant civil penalties or even imprisonment if they hold a national convention on federal property (Section 3501(b)).

Privacy Concerns for Visitors: While intended for transparency, the requirement to publish visitor records could potentially impact the privacy of individuals visiting high-level government locations (Section 3502(a)).