House Democrats unveil reform package to 'prevent future presidential abuses'
House Democrats on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping reform package to impose new checks on presidential power and potential wrongdoing in the executive branch, while toughening enforcement of ethics rules and congressional subpoenas -- proposals they believe are necessary to "prevent future presidential abuses" and "restore checks and balances" to government after nearly four years of battles with President Trump and the White House.
Drafted by party leaders at the direction of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the 158-page proposal would add new reporting requirements to the president's use of the pardon power, and amend federal bribery law to include offering or granting of a pardon or commutation.
Democrats liken the package to the series of post-Watergate reforms passed in the wake of President Richard Nixon's resignation - which included changes to campaign finance regulations, added oversight to the intelligence community and transparency to government with the Freedom of Information Act.
"The rule of law applies to every person in this country, including the president and members of the administration," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., said Tuesday at a news conference with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and other senior Democrats to roll out the package.
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/house-democrats-unveil-reform-package-144955076.html
