Senator Merkley proposes sweeping bill to curb presidential power

On the On NOTUS podcast, Senator Jeff Merkley described his For Our Republic Act as a defense against what he calls a strong-man approach by Donald Trump, arguing that constitutional repair is essential for the republic. The draft legislation would shift immigration judges from the executive to the judicial branch, require Congress to approve any department closures or reorganizations, and prohibit executive officers from trading in prediction markets or promoting crypto products.

It also seeks to prevent the FCC from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action based on a station’s viewpoint, a response to recent disputes involving Jimmy Kimmel and The View. Additional measures would block the president from altering the White House East Wing, placing his likeness on National Park passes, and would ban immigration officers from using facial-recognition or gait-recognition technology without a warrant while outlawing racial profiling.

The bill empowers private citizens and state attorneys general to sue immigration officials for rights violations, and even calls for reform of the Senate filibuster to pass its provisions. Critics note that, despite its broad language, the proposal reflects many Democratic grievances with the current administration and raises potential free-speech concerns, such as a ban on AI-generated deepfakes of election officials.