A Roadmap for a Congress that Serves the People

What We Demand From Congress

Congress has become a rubber stamp. It needs to do its job.

The Problem: Congress is Failing Us When It Matters Most

Corrupt political leaders and their allies are

Ignoring the will of the people
Dismantling key institutions and checks on their authority
Silencing dissent
Using their power to enrich themselves and entrench their rule

…even as they enact policies that will harm millions of Americans.

Congress could stop all of this… if they had the courage. But too many of them are afraid of being primaried or frozen out, of violent threats, or of just being the first to stick their necks out and do what’s right. So they fall in line, instead of standing up for the American people and the Constitution.

It’s up to us, the people, to force them to act. Congress is supposed to work for us, and sustained, strong constituent pressure really does matter. We need to focus our efforts by demanding that Congress uphold and defend the Constitution, hold the Executive Branch accountable, and act in the best interests of the people.

Add your name and tell Congress the time to act is now:

What Congress Needs to Do
to Put People First

1. Hold the Executive Branch Accountable

Checks and balances exist to stop corruption and to keep any one branch of government from abusing its power. But Congress is currently acting as a rubber stamp, allowing the Executive Branch to overreach and act with minimal oversight. Meanwhile, the American people have watched key federal agencies and programs slashed, congressionally-approved and appropriated funds withheld, and unprecedented levels of corruption go unchecked.

Congress should use its existing oversight powers to hold presidents, their cabinets, and their allies accountable. It should also pass new reforms to ensure greater accountability.

Exercise Existing Oversight Powers
Congress has a number of existing tools at their disposal to check instances where the executive branch may be overreaching with their power. Members of Congress have the tools, they’re just not using them. We’re demanding they:
- Hold hearings
- Launch investigations of alleged misconduct, including for impeachment
- Request documents and enforce subpoenas
- Leverage their constitutionally-granted control of government funding
- Effectively exercise the Senate’s power to confirm nominees to key posts, and ensure nominees have the necessary qualifications and meet high standards of integrity and commitment to constitutional principles
Congress should use these tools to investigate instances of executive branch corruption and overreach like the use of ICE as an unaccountable and abusive police force, the appointment of unqualified or corrupt loyalists to high positions of power, the deployment of troops into cities, and the weaponization of the Department of Justice to persecute political opponents.
Pass Executive Branch Ethics & Conflict of Interest Laws
Enforcing existing laws is not enough to curb corruption and abuse of power at the executive level. That’s because there are huge loopholes in existing laws that allow presidents and their allies to engage in blatant corruption. Congress needs stronger tools and laws to prevent executive branch abuse and hold it accountable. When presidents or their families strike valuable deals with foreign governments, pardon their closest allies and relatives, or use presidency for self-enrichment, it becomes impossible for Americans to trust that decisions being made–for example, on tariffs, criminal law enforcement, or economic policy–with our best interests in mindKey reforms should include:
- Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Require full disclosure of financial interests, foreign payments, gifts, and tax returns while in office.
- Ban Self-Dealing: Prohibit presidents from granting pardons to family, close friends, or themselves; using the office for personal enrichment; or exploiting government resources for campaign purposes.
- Whistleblower Protections: Strengthen safeguards for federal employees who expose waste, fraud, or abuse.
- Stock Ban: Ban the Executive Branch and their family members from owning and trading stocks while in office.
- Enforce Emoluments Clause: Pass legislation to fully uphold the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, preventing officials from selling influence or favors to foreign actors.
Strengthen Anti-Bribery Laws: Pass legislation to strengthen and support the enforcement of anti-bribery laws, such as closing loopholes that allow public officials to solicit gratuities or tips from private actors.

2. Uphold and Defend the Constitution

Members of Congress swear an oath to defend the Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of their office. But today, they’re afraid to do so under threat of heightened intimidation from many sides, from a rise in political violence targeting members and their families, to the increasing inflammatory rhetoric coming from the President’s social media accounts. In order to uphold their oath, we demand that Congress find the courage to:

Regain Control of the Budget

The Constitution says that Congress alone has the “power of the purse” (Art. I, Sec. 9, Cl. 7). Only Congress can decide how the government spends and allocates money, but presidents have encroached on that power and abused illegal tools like “pocket rescissions” to sidestep Congress and get what they want.
Assert Authority over Trade & Tariffs

The Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate tariffs and trade (Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 3), but for decades Congress has passed laws that delegate much of this authority to the president.

The problem with this? One person, the president, has been allowed to impose what are essentially taxes on us without approval from Congress or input from the public, undermining our system of checks and balances and concentrating power in the hands of one office.
Check Emergency Powers

In times of emergencies, Congress can grant presidents a whole host of powers allowing them to act swiftly and decisively (Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 18), but too often, presidents have used these “emergencies” as a pretext to take powers such as taxation and tariffs, deployment of the National Guard, and other unauthorized international military intervention, away from Congress.
Protect & Safeguard Our Elections

The power to regulate elections belongs to Congress and the states (Art. I, Sec. 4, Cl. 1). Giving presidents a say in how elections are run is ripe for abuse and interference. Congress must block any actions by the executive branch that attempts to take any power over elections.
Take Back Control of War & Troop Deployments

Congress, not the President, has the power to decide when America goes to war (Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 11 & 15). For decades now, presidents have abused their war powers internationally and have gone so far as to deploy troops on American soil, all while Congress sits on the sidelines.

These are big decisions. In a healthy democracy, it would be up to Congress, the people’s branch, to decide, not one person.
Protect an Independent Judicial Branch

America’s Founders set up an intricate system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. In recent years, we’ve seen attempts by the executive branch to pressure, intimidate, and unduly influence judges and their decisions.

In order to maintain the balance of power, Congress must stand up to the executive branch and ensure the judicial branch remains impartial by defending the judicial confirmation process, opposing political interference, and safeguarding judges from threats, intimidation, or coercion.
Uphold the Bill of Rights & The Powers of States
The Constitution guarantees both civil liberties and rights for individuals (the Bill of Rights) and a balance of power between the federal government and the states. Congress should exert oversight and oppose executive branch actions that infringe on basic rights and freedoms and the authority of the states.

This includes:
- Defending First Amendment protections, including free speech, press, and assembly
- Protecting states’ authority to regulate their own elections without undue federal interference
- Ensuring states can receive federal funding without coercion or threats to their policies

The above provisions are adapted from Issue One’s Check the Exec campaign. RepresentUs is one of many organizations that has signed on to this campaign and is working to advance these bipartisan policies.

3. Represent the People, Not Themselves or Special Interests

Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of how Congress operates. Part of the problem is the corrupting role of money in politics, which means members of Congress have incentives to work for their donors. Other problems, like uncompetitive elections and congressional stock-trading, have also increasingly disconnected Congress from the people it’s meant to serve. To restore trust in our democracy, Congress needs to change the system to make sure it works for the people, not special interests, donors, or presidents. That requires more than promises; it requires action:

Pass Congressional Ethics & Conflict of Interest Laws
We need to know that Congress works for us, not anyone else. To that end, Congress should:
- Ban Stock Trading in Congress: Members shape policies that move markets and often hold insider knowledge. Their decisions must serve the public, not their portfolios.
- Close the Revolving Door Between Congress and Lobbyists: Too many Members cash in after office by lobbying for powerful corporations and special interests. This practice undermines public trust and must end.
Limit the Influence of Big Money in Politics: The Citizens United Supreme Court Case has been a disaster for democracy, allowing corporations and special interests to pour big money into our political process to elect preferred candidates and shape policy to get what they want at the expense of everyday Americans. We need to start by rooting out corruption within our government, through policies like the No Gratuities for Governance Act, which closes a loophole created by the Supreme Court allowing public officials to solicit gratuities from private actors, while working towards bold, systemic solutions like public campaign financing to reduce the grip big money has on elections.
Stop Rubber-Stamping Presidential Agendas

Congress must stop advancing a president’s agenda blindly. Lawmakers should act as a check and exercise independent judgment, evaluating policies on their merits and putting constituents ahead of party loyalty or presidential pressure.

Do you agree? Sign the Petition: Tell Congress to Act Now

Add your name if you agree that Congress should defend the Constitution, check abuses of power, and put the people, not special interests or presidents, first.

Sign the Petition

Our Strategy to Get Congress to Show Courage

Educate Millions

We use our massive social media reach to engage Americans with clear, accessible explanations of how power is being abused and what can be done about it.

Organize Outrage into Action

We transform shared frustration with corruption and abuse of power into a force for real change, uniting Americans across political divides into a national movement that demands accountability.

Apply People Power Where It Counts

At critical moments, we mobilize grassroots networks and partners to apply public pressure and offer support so key decision-makers do the right thing.

See Our Full Strategy →