H.R. 5314 - 117th Congress (2021-2022) - Protecting Our Democracy Act

This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) foreign interference in elections.

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 self-pardons by the President,
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,
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.

To protect against foreign interference in elections, 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.

Text (3)

Received in Senate

December 13, 2021

Engrossed in House

December 9, 2021

Introduced in House

September 21, 2021

Amendments (4)

Show All Amendments

Displaying only amendments with a detailed public record (3)

Dec 09, 2021

Not Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 148

Amendment sought to assert the Government Accountability Office's investigatory powers over the intelligence community and require the Director of National Intelligence to ensure that GAO personnel are provided with access to certrain information in possession by the intelligence community.

Active

Dec 09, 2021

Not Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 147

Amendments en bloc No. 2 comprised of amendments numbered 3 and 7, printed in Part B of House Report 117-205.

Active

Dec 09, 2021

Agreed to in House

Sponsorship

House Amendment 146

Amendments en bloc No. 1 comprised of amendments numbered 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34, printed in Part B of House Report 117-205.

Agreed To

Actions (24)

Show Only Major Actions

12/13/2021

Received in the Senate.

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

12/09/2021

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)

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

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

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

DEBATE - The House continued with debate on H.R. 5314.

12/09/2021

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5314.

12/09/2021

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.

12/09/2021

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

12/07/2021

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.

09/22/2021

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

09/21/2021

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.

09/21/2021

Introduced in House

Public Record

Record Updated

May 11, 2023 3:46:24 PM