The Niskanen Center applauds the House passage of the Protecting Our Democracy Act (PODA) H.R. 5314. The suite of reforms in PODA is designed to address checks and balances in Congress, Presidential abuses of power, and foreign interference with our elections. Over the past few years, we’ve seen unprecedented attacks on our democratic institutions and the erosion of many democratic norms. Measures like PODA are critical to reinforcing our system of government and preventing future abuses.
Though led by and predominantly supported by Democrats, we want to acknowledge the leadership of Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL16), who made this vital piece of legislation bipartisan. While many of the provisions within PODA were introduced with bipartisan support in prior congresses, Rep. Kinzinger’s decision to cross the aisle was all the more impactful.
The urgency of these reforms cannot be overstated, and the Senate should take swift action to pass PODA in January.
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