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Clean Government and Accountability Act

Overview  >  Key Actions  >  Program 4: Corruption and Accountability

PROGRAM 4: CORRUPTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Why voters want this

•     More than half of voters called government corruption crucial to their vote.

•     About 7 in 10 say Congress is not doing enough to check the president, including about 4 in 10 Republicans.

•     About 6 in 10 say the president puts his personal interests ahead of the country’s.

What the program does

1. Congressional stock trading ban

Bar members of Congress, their spouses and senior staff from trading individual stocks; require blind trusts or diversified funds. Popular in both parties.

2. Executive branch ethics standards

Disclosure and conflict-of-interest rules in law for the president, vice president and senior officials, covering digital assets, foreign payments and private donations solicited for government projects.

3. Pardon reform

A law can add transparency and penalties but cannot narrow the constitutional pardon power. The package: public disclosure of every pardon and its stated reason; registration of anyone paid to seek clemency, with a ban on success fees; and a criminal ban on trading anything of value for a pardon. A longer-term constitutional amendment would bar self-pardons and pardons in advance for a president’s relatives, staff and associates. In an Economist/YouGov poll, 58% said the president grants too many pardons and 56% favored a constitutional limit.

4. Lobbying and contracting transparency

Searchable disclosure of lobbying clients, issues and meetings; public reporting of major federal contracts, emergency procurements and contract changes; real limits on gifts, outside income and the revolving door.

5. Foreign policy accountability

Require clear objectives, legal authority, cost estimates and congressional consultation for major military commitments, with regular public updates. In the Fox News Voter Poll, about 6 in 10 called military action in Iran the wrong decision.

6. Restore congressional authority

Require a vote of Congress to extend emergency tariffs, update the War Powers Resolution with enforceable timelines, and protect inspectors general and whistleblowers from removal or retaliation without cause.

7. Election administration support

Steady funding for state and local election offices, minimum standards for paper records and post-election audits, and a package that pairs expanded early and mail voting with voter ID, each backed by broad majorities in Pew’s polling.

8. Disciplined oversight

Focused hearings tied to costs, waste and abuse. Investigations into the president were very important to only 36% of voters and 7% of Republican supporters.

Guardrails

•     Every reform applies no matter which party holds power.

•     Due process and the independence of prosecutors and auditors are protected.

•     Oversight is never used to punish political opponents.

Design options

Option What it means Trade-off
Ethics-first Lead with the stock trading ban and disclosure rules that bind Congress itself. Most popular and credible; less direct effect on the executive branch.
Checks-first Lead with tariff and war powers authority and inspector general protections. Answers the 7 in 10 who want stronger checks; faces a likely veto.
Statute now, amendment later (recommended for pardons) Pass pardon disclosure and anti-bribery rules now; build support for a constitutional amendment over time. Republicans oppose constitutional limits 45% to 34%, so the statute has better odds.

Success metrics

Measure Baseline Target
Stock trading ban Not law Passed within the first 100 days
Congressional approval 14% Measurable rise by 2028
Pardons disclosed with stated reasons Partial 100%
Major contracts with searchable disclosure Incomplete All above a set threshold
Election audits completed and published Varies by state Every state

 

Explore the other key actions

Previous: Program 3: Health Care: Health Cost Guarantee

Next: Program 5: Immigration: Secure and Fair Border Compact

All seven key actions

Sources for this page

 

The 2026 Midterms: What Comes Next. Analysis updated November 8, 2026. Figures from election-day and pre-election surveys; projections may change as counting finishes.