Skip to main content
HJRES 4 117th Congress House Crime and Law Enforcement Constitution and constitutional amendments Criminal procedure and sentencing Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Family relationships Federal officials Government ethics and transparency, public corruption Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

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

Introduced: January 4, 2021 Introduced by: Cohen, Steve Democratic · Tennessee See on congress.gov
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 4, 2021
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Jan 4, 2021
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 4, 2021
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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 family members 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.

What's happening now March 4, 2021

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HJRES 45 Related bill Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the presidential pardoning power.
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 12
All 12 Democratic 11
D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Evans, Dwight
Pennsylvania · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Garcia, Sylvia R.
Texas · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Jayapal, Pramila
Washington · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Larson, John B.
Connecticut · Jan 11, 2021
 D
Beyer, Donald S.
Virginia · Jan 4, 2021
 D
Boyle, Brendan F.
Pennsylvania · Jan 4, 2021
COOPER, JAMES
· Jan 4, 2021
 D
Green, Al
Texas · Jan 4, 2021
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Jan 4, 2021
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Jan 4, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 4: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States limiting the pardon power of the President.. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HJRES-4/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 4: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States limiting the pardon power of the President.." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HJRES-4/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 4, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HJRES-4/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 4: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States limiting the pardon power of the President.](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HJRES-4/)
Report a problem