New Constitutional Amendment to Block Presidential Pardons Gains First Republican Backer

By Mark Swanson | Monday, February 16, 2026

A proposed constitutional amendment granting Congress the authority to block presidential pardons has secured its first Republican co-sponsor on Monday, as Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska joined the effort.

House Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), who has spearheaded the initiative, announced that Rep. Don Bacon became the amendment’s first Republican co-sponsor. The measure, known as the Pardon Integrity Act, would establish a mechanism allowing 20 House members and five senators to compel a vote to revoke a presidential pardon. Blocking such pardons would require a two-thirds majority in each chamber of Congress.

The proposal follows President Donald Trump’s issuance of a series of high-profile pardons and commutations during his second term. At the start of that term, Trump pardoned thousands of January 6 defendants, including individuals charged with assaults on law enforcement during the 2021 Capitol riot. Since then, Trump has granted clemency or pardons to Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas); former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.); Ozy Media CEO Carlos Watson; Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht; former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich; and cryptocurrency executive Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. Most recently, he pardoned five former NFL players convicted of financial and drug-related crimes.

Olszewski characterized the amendment as a safeguard on executive authority, stating: “This amendment creates a narrow, commonsense check to ensure the pardon power is used fairly and responsibly — regardless of who occupies the White House.” He added that presidential pardons are an important constitutional authority but require appropriate checks and balances as envisioned by the Constitution. “Legitimate questions have arisen about how this authority has been used across multiple administrations,” Olszewski said, noting that Congress’s oversight capacity has weakened.

The retiring Republican Bacon remarked: “Frankly, it is clear to me the pardon authority has been abused. I am pleased to co-sponsor Rep. Olszewski’s Pardon Integrity Act, a constitutional amendment that establishes a narrow, commonsense safeguard.”

A constitutional amendment would require two-thirds support in both chambers of Congress and ratification by 38 states, making passage unlikely. Bacon has previously broken with Trump over continued U.S. aid to Ukraine and foreign policy, drawing criticism from the president who questioned his loyalty within the Republican Party. Bacon was also among six House Republicans who recently voted to repeal the president’s tariffs on Canada.