House passes bill barring Congress from interfering with electoral results


The House on Wednesday passed an electoral reform bill that would block attempts from presidents to use Congress to overrule election results, The Washington Post reports. It was the first time lawmakers have voted on "such an effort" since the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, when a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol to block the certification of President Biden's victory, the Post writes.
The Presidential Election Reform Act was co-written by Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). The bill identifies the Capitol incident as a reason to reform the existing Electoral Count Act of 1887 and "prevent other future unlawful efforts to overturn presidential elections," as well as "ensure future peaceful transfers of presidential power."
The bill passed after a 229-203 vote. After retiring or losing their primaries, nine Republicans who will not be members of Congress next year sided with the Democrats in support of the bill, per the Post.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Presidential Election Reform Act clarifies that the vice president does not have a role in the validation process of a presidential election; they are a figurehead who oversees the counting of votes and cannot change the results. The act increases the threshold members of both chambers have to reach to object to a state's results, and clearly delineates the role governors play in the process. It also affirms that state legislatures cannot retroactively change election rules to change voting results, the Post reports.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
Why are global postal services cutting off package delivery to the US?
Today's Big Question 'Uncertainty' around new tariff rules halts small-dollar imports
-
SpaceX breaks Starship losing streak in 10th test
speed read The Starship rocket's test flight was largely successful, deploying eight dummy satellites during its hour in space
-
Sudoku medium: August 27, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other cities
speed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfully
Speed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records request
Speed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material