Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2026

Key Points

• The President would have to publicly explain, in writing, the reason for every pardon or act of clemency, posted both in the Federal Register and on the White House website.
• The Pardon Attorney must prepare a Justice Impact Statement for each potential clemency grant, covering victim outreach and law enforcement views on how it could affect ongoing cases, even if finished after the pardon is already granted.
• Anyone paid to lobby for a pardon, commutation, reprieve, or fine remission would have to register as a lobbyist and file activity reports within two days of any contact, regardless of how much money is involved.
• The Pardon Attorney is required to try to contact victims of the underlying crime and include any statements they submit in the official record given to the President and Congress.
• The Pardon Attorney must study compliance with the law starting 180 days after enactment and report findings and recommendations to Congress every other year.