U.S. House passes oversight bill reining in presidency, unlikely to pass Senate

[December 10, 2021]  By Moira Warburton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a sweeping government oversight bill aimed at reining in the powers of the presidency, but the measure faces little chance of passing the narrowly-divided Senate.

The "Protecting Our Democracy Act" would limit the president's pardon powers and strengthen oversight of other government functions, which supporters said were intended to address weaknesses that Republican former President Donald Trump exploited during his four years in office.

Republicans dismissed the bill, which passed in a nearly party-line 220-208 vote, as an attack on Trump.

The bill would "address many of the vulnerabilities that the last four years exposed," Representative Adam Schiff, a co-sponsor of the bill, said at a news conference after its passage. He said that Trump's actions, including pardons of supporters, illustrated that "the need for stronger guardrails is greater than ever."

The U.S. Capitol building is seen in Washington, U.S., December 6, 2021. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

Republican Rick Crawford accused Democrats of living in the past, saying, "The clear intent of this bill is to weaponize federal bureaucracy against Republican candidates."

The bill will now head to the Senate, where it is not expected to surpass the chamber's 60-vote threshold to move forward.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot)

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