POGO Applauds House for Passing Protecting Our Democracy Act

Media Contacts:Liz Hempowicz, Director of Public Policy at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), [email protected]; or Tim Farnsworth, Executive Strategist at POGO, [email protected]

(WASHINGTON)—The House took a significant step toward strengthening American democracy today by passing the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

Enacting this bill would boost the public’s trust in government by strengthening checks against executive branch power and improving transparency in the federal government. The legislation addresses aspects of our system of checks and balances that have been broken for too long, failures made painfully apparent under the previous administration.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act would enact crucial reforms, including providing better protections for whistleblowers and independent watchdogs, placing reasonable limits on presidential emergency powers, and improving Congress’s ability to conduct oversight of the executive branch.

The Senate should take up this legislation and send it to President Joe Biden’s desk.

“The American people do not trust that their government is working in their best interest, and the Protecting Our Democracy Act is a tangible first step to rebuild that trust,” said Liz Hempowicz, director of public policy at the Project On Government Oversight. “Our system of checks and balances is meant to serve as a guardrail against any one branch abusing is power, but it is in need of serious maintenance. This legislation would create a more transparent and accountable federal government. The House took a crucial step today in the fight against government corruption, and now the Senate must follow suit.”