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H.R. 5314: Protecting Our Democracy Act

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H.R. 5314: Protecting Our Democracy Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-09-21 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Received in the Senate.

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Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-09-21 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 5 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 436 (2021): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR5314 (2021-12-09), Agreed to. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Our Democracy Act

Plain summary

Protecting Our Democracy Act This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) election integrity and security. 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 presidential self-pardons, 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, and requires a candidate for President or Vice President to provide copies of tax returns for the 10 most recent taxable years to the Federal Election Commission. To address election integrity and security, the bill requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts, makes various changes to requirements concerning foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates and foreign contributions to online electioneering communications, prohibits distribution of materially deceptive audio or visual media prior to an election (i.e., deepfakes), and establishes a program to support states and localities transition to ranked choice voting systems.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Our Democracy Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28] · 168 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Ami Bera (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Garamendi (D-CA), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), James A. Himes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and 108 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28] reported raising $10.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (4)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Jurisdiction
The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5314 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117