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Limiting Presidential Pardon Power: New Rules Proposed

A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution aims to restrict the President's ability to grant pardons to certain individuals. Citizens should be aware that if adopted, this change would prevent the President from pardoning themselves, family members, administration officials, or campaign staff, enhancing transparency and accountability.
Key points
The President would not be able to pardon themselves or family members (up to third-degree relation).
The ban on pardons would extend to current and former members of the President's administration and paid campaign employees.
Any pardon issued for a corrupt purpose would be invalid, aiming to prevent abuses of power.
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Status: Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_HJRES_4
Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Process start date: 2021-01-04
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_HJRES_4.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-01-04.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • The President would not be able to pardon themselves or family members (up to third-degree relation).
  • The ban on pardons would extend to current and former members of the President's administration and paid campaign employees.
  • Any pardon issued for a corrupt purpose would be invalid, aiming to prevent abuses of power.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-27.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

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