Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act of 2026

This bill would require the Justice Department's Inspector General to investigate any presidential pardon or commutation for certain offenses, such as those arising from investigations of the President, the President's relatives, or political appointees, or offenses tied to congressional proceedings. Within 30 days of such a pardon, the Attorney General and the President would have to give related case and pardon materials to the Inspector General and to leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. The bill would state that federal bribery law covers the President, Vice President, and incoming winners of those offices, and treats pardons and commutations as official acts. It would declare that a President's pardon of himself or herself is void. People who receive a pardon and gave gifts to the President, including donations to campaign committees, presidential libraries, or White House construction funds, would have to report those gifts, and the reports would be posted online.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Catherine Cortez Masto Democrat sponsor
• 3 cosponsors