[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8277 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8277

To amend title 18, United States Code, to impose criminal penalties on 
      the President for engaging in actions to interfere with the 
 determination of electoral votes in a presidential election, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 1, 2022

    Mr. Torres of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to impose criminal penalties on 
      the President for engaging in actions to interfere with the 
 determination of electoral votes in a presidential election, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Conspiracy to Obstruct the Electoral 
Count Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPOSITION OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES ON PRESIDENT FOR INTERFERING 
              WITH DETERMINATION OF ELECTORAL VOTES.

    (a) Penalties.--Chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 612. Interference by President with determination of electoral 
              votes
    ``(a) It shall be unlawful for the President to--
            ``(1) obstruct the certification of electoral votes by 
        Congress;
            ``(2) pressure the Vice President during the certification 
        of electoral votes by Congress to discount a State-certified 
        slate of electors or count an alternate slate of electors;
            ``(3) pressure a Federal, State, or local official to 
        substitute an alternate slate of electors;
            ``(4) pressure a Federal, State, or local official to find 
        votes; or
            ``(5) pressure a Federal, State, or local official to make 
        false claims about a presidential election.
    ``(b) If the President violates subsection (a), the President shall 
be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than the maximum 
term of imprisonment imposed for a violation of section 1505 of this 
title (relating to obstruction of proceedings), or both.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 29 of 
such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

``612. Interference by President with determination of electoral 
                            votes.''.
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