Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley unveiled the For Our Republic Act, a comprehensive legislative package to fight back against President Trump’s aggressive authoritarian takeover of American democracy.
The brand-new For Our Republic Act includes provisions to directly oppose Trump’s authoritarian playbook, including defending independent government watchdogs, protecting non-partisan civil servants, reasserting Congress’ power of the purse, fighting government corruption, strengthening free speech and civil liberties, and safeguarding free and fair elections.
“Authoritarianism isn’t down the street or around the corner—it is here right now,” said Merkley. “We have all three ingredients of a strongman state in the United States: a rubber-stamp Congress doing the President’s bidding; a deferential Supreme Court finding ‘invisible ink’ in the Constitution to enhance the President’s powers; and a power-hungry President behaving like a king, breaking the law and violating the checks and balances of our Constitution.
Merkley continued, “The For Our Republic Act lays out a clear roadmap of the actions Congress can take to fight back against Trump’s authoritarian takeover and reassert our authority. Together, let’s fight back and save our republic!”
The For Our Republic Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
“In a clear conflict of interest and gross abuse of power, Trump fired 17 Inspectors General within his first days in office so he could tap political allies to conduct oversight of his own Administration—leaving these watchdogs to answer to the President before the American people,” said Duckworth. “First and foremost, Senate Democrats’ For Our Republic Act includes my legislation that would prevent stone-cold corruption like this, which have too often become the norm in the Trump Administration. It’s clear that the current checks on the President are not enough, and our legislation would not only help us restore good government—it will also empower Congress to prevent any more wanna-be kings from bending our Republic to its breaking point.”
“Donald Trump has led a brazen, unprecedented campaign of corruption—growing his power while ignoring the needs of the American people. The For Our Republic Act installs critical guardrails against Trump’s relentless attacks on our democracy, promoting government transparency and accountability while preserving Americans’ rights and liberties. This legislation fights against Trump’s slide towards tyranny and protects our country’s democratic values,” said Blumenthal.
To fight back against the known playbook of authoritarian governments, the For Our Republic Act includes new provisions to counter the rise of authoritarianism and erosion of our democratic government under the second Trump Administration, as well as existing legislation from Merkley and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
The For Our Republic Act outlines ten principles to protect our democracy:
- Defend the Referees
- Protect the Independent, Non-Partisan Civil Service
- Celebrate One Nation, Indivisible
- Reaffirm Equal Justice Under Law
- Strengthen Free Speech
- Reassert Congress’ Power of the Purse
- Fight Government Corruption
- Ensure Liberty and Justice for All
- Prevent Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets
- Safeguard Free and Fair Elections
A detailed outline of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.
The For Our Republic Act is supported by Public Citizen, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Refugees International, and Common Cause.
“It is stunning how the Trump Administration, empowered by an obedient congressional Republican caucus, has empowered the federal government to intrude and impose upon our daily lives. The separation of powers, and the checks and balances against over-reach by the president, have largely been vanquished. America has fallen into dangerous times. Sen. Merkley’s For Our Republic Act seeks to restore those critical checks and balances and re-affirm the democratic principles upon which America was founded. Public Citizen heartily endorses this very necessary measure,” said Craig Holman, Ph.D., Public Citizen.
“With so many attacks on our country’s core values, the For Our Republic Act is a critical step in restoring our democratic principles,” said Carol Evans, Common Cause’s Vice President of Policy. “This legislation takes the power back for the people. It ensures that our government serves the public rather than answering to the whims of one person in charge.”
Merkley has led the charge to ring the alarm bells about the Trump Administration’s authoritarian takeover of America. On October 21, 2025, Merkley held the Senate floor for 22 hours 37 minutes—the third longest speech in Senate history—to speak directly to the American people about Trump’s authoritarianism. He later published an analysis, titled “Ring the Alarm Bells: The Ten Rules of Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook,” to ensure all Americans understand what our country is facing.
Full text of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.
A section-by-section summary of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.
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