House Democrats Advance New Checks on Presidential Pardon Power

Outraged by President Trump’s commutation of the sentence of Roger J. Stone Jr., House Democrats pushed forward legislation on Thursday that would give lawmakers new authority to scrutinize uses of executive clemency involving presidential family members or crimes against Congress and explicitly outlaw presidents from pardoning themselves.

The measure approved by the House Judiciary Committee amounts both to the most substantial attempt by Congress in recent history to put guardrails around one of the most powerful authorities granted to a president by the Constitution and to a symbolic rebuke of Mr. Trump. Given the scope of that power, it would almost certainly be challenged in court if it ever becomes law, which itself remains a long shot unless Democrats recapture full control of the government this fall.

Democrats on the Judiciary Committee said Thursday that Mr. Trump’s general willingness to test the limits of his powers and his particular commutation of Mr. Stone, a longtime friend who was found guilty of lying to and obstructing a congressional investigation into the president’s 2016 campaign and its ties to Russia, made it necessary to act.

At the same time, Democrats advanced legislation that would pause the statute of limitations on any federal offense committed by presidents or vice presidents during their time in office so they cannot escape charges that might be brought if they were not in the White House.