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This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would limit the President’s power to grant pardons and reprieves. It would bar the President from pardoning himself or certain people closely connected to him, and it would also make invalid any pardon given for a corrupt purpose. If approved by Congress and then ratified by enough states, the amendment would become part of the Constitution.
- The President could not pardon or grant reprieves to himself.
- The ban would also cover close relatives, including a spouse and family members up to the third degree, as well as current or former members of the President’s administration.
- It would also apply to paid campaign workers, and to people or groups whose offense was tied to the personal or financial interests of the President or those close to him.
- Pardons would also be blocked if the offense was done at the President’s direction or in coordination with him, and Congress would have power to pass laws to enforce the amendment.
Official Summaries
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 relatives 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.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 13 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. J. RES. 13
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
limiting the pardon power of the President.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2025
Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, and Mr. Levin)
submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
limiting the pardon power of the President.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House
concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:
``Article--
``Section 1. The President shall not have the power to grant
pardons and reprieves to--
``(1) the President's self;
``(2) any person, up to a third degree relation, of the
President, or a spouse thereof;
``(3) any current or former member of the President's
administration;
``(4) any person who worked on the President's presidential
campaign as a paid employee;
``(5) any person or entity for an offense that was
motivated by a direct and significant personal or pecuniary
interest of any of the foregoing persons; or
``(6) any person or entity for an offense that was at the
direction of, or in coordination with, the President.
```Any pardon issued for a corrupt purpose shall be invalid. '.
``Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article
by appropriate legislation.''.
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