POGO Joins Civil Society Partners in Endorsing the Protecting Our Democracy Act

Dear Representative,

We write to you in strong support of the Protecting Our Democracy Act, H.R.8363, an urgent and necessary assertion of Congress’s constitutional responsibilities to vigorously guard the rule of law and the integrity of our democratic institutions.

Our organizations, which together represent a diversity of mandates and areas of focus, are united in the conviction that our democracy faces severe threats. The Protecting Our Democracy Act represents an important acknowledgment that today’s threats emanate both from abroad, in the case of sustained foreign interference in our elections, as well as at home, in the form of escalating abuses of executive power. Since taking office, President Trump has systematically assaulted our Constitution and dismantled the guardrails designed to protect the rule of law.

We are equally united in the belief that Congress must act to protect our democracy and restore the rule of law. The Protecting Our Democracy Act does just that. This sweeping package contains reforms necessary to prevent presidential abuses, restore our system of checks and balances, provide accountability and transparency, and protect our elections.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act will restore to Congress the powers our Founders intended and check corrupt presidents without infringing on the president’s legitimate authority. The reforms will help ensure that presidents fulfill their constitutionally required oath to “faithfully execute the Office of the Presidency” and always serve the public interest, rather than abusing the vast power of the presidency for personal gain.

At distinct moments throughout our country’s history, in reaction to extreme presidential abuses, Congress has enacted landmark reforms that remedy our democracy’s most pressing vulnerabilities. We believe this is one of those moments. The Protecting Our Democracy Act’s reforms address the abuses of power currently threatening our democracy, creating stronger guardrails to prevent future abuses.

For these reasons, we celebrate the introduction of the Protecting Our Democracy Act and call for it to be brought expeditiously to the House floor for a historic vote.

Sincerely,

20/20 Vision
Action Group Network
Brennan Center for Justice
Center for American Progress
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Clean Elections Texas
Coalition to Preserve, Protect & Defend
Common Cause
Demand Progress
DemCast USA
Defend Democracy
Democracy 21
End Citizens United / Let America Vote Action Fund
Fix Democracy First
Franciscan Action Network
Greenpeace USA
Indivisible
Mainers for Accountable Leadership
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
Open The Government
Poligon Education Fund
Project On Government Oversight
Protect Democracy
Public Citizen
RepresentUS New Mexico
Republicans for the Rule of Law
SEIU
SMART Elections
Stand Up America
Stand Up Republic
Voices for Progress