H.J.Res. 4 · 117th Congress · House

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States limiting the pardon power of the President.

Active· Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Introduced
Jan 4, 21
Passed House
Pending
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Frequently Asked

The basics

Who introduced it, and what's their district or state?
Steve Cohen (Democratic-TN-9).
Is this a Republican bill, a Democratic bill, or bipartisan?
Single-party (Democratic).
When was it introduced?
Introduced on January 4, 2021.

Political context

Is there a companion bill in the other chamber?
No companion bill recorded.

Legislative process

What committee(s) have jurisdiction?
Referred to: Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee.
Where is it in the legislative process right now?
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Has it been marked up, reported, or scheduled for a floor vote?
No committee markup recorded yet.

Practical actions

How did my representative vote (if there's been a vote)?
See the Votes tab for individual member positions when a roll-call vote is recorded.
How can I contact my member of Congress about it?
Use the U.S. Senate or House contact directory to reach your representative. Sponsor (Steve Cohen) profile: https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/C001068.

Executive Summary

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting the pardon power of the President.

The amendment prohibits the President from granting a pardon or reprieve to himself or herself, to family members or members of the administration, to paid campaign employees, to a person or entity for an offense motivated by an interest of any of those people, or to a person or entity for an offense directed by or coordinated with the President.

The amendment also invalidates pardons issued for a corrupt purpose.