Stable Genius Act
{{Short description|A proposed requirement for presidential candidate medical exams}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox United States proposed legislation
| name = Stable Genius Act
| image_seal =
| fullname = To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to require the principal campaign committee of a candidate in a general election for the office of President to file a certification that the candidate has undergone a medical examination conducted by a medical office under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Navy.
| acronym = STABLE GENIUS Act
| nickname = Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection Act
| introduced in the = 115th
| introduceddate = January 9, 2018
| sponsored by = Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. D-PA-13
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| public law url =
| cite public law = {{USPL|115|4742}}
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| acts affected = Federal Election Campaign Act
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| title affected = 52
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| sections affected = 304
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| introducedin = House
| introducedbill = {{USBill|115|H.R.|4742}}
| introducedby = Brendan Boyle
| committees = House Committee on House Administration
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The STABLE GENIUS Act was a proposed Act of Congress authored by U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D–PA–02) to require presidential candidates to have a medical exam and publicly disclose the results before the general election.{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/democratic-congressman-unveils-stable-genius-act-to-evaluate-presidential-candidates-mental-health/article/2645398|title=Democratic congressman unveils 'Stable Genius Act' to evaluate presidential candidates' mental health|work=Washington Examiner|date=January 9, 2018 |accessdate=January 9, 2018}} The name of the act is a backronym for "Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection". It is a reference to a two-part tweet sent by President Donald Trump referring to himself as a "stable genius".{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/01/06/trump-dismissing-questions-his-mental-state-tweets-he-genius/1009917001/|title=Trump, mocking questions on his mental state, tweets he is a 'stable genius'|last=Stanglin|first=Doug|date=January 6, 2018|work=USA Today|accessdate=August 29, 2019}} It was originally proposed on January 9, 2018 to the 115th Congress as HR 4742, and was reintroduced on July 12, 2019 to the 116th Congress as HR 3736. No action on the bills was taken after being referred to committee.
Background
President Donald Trump's first use of the term was in response to allegations of mental health problems in Fire and Fury, a book published on January 5, 2018, which was followed by extensive discussion of the subject on cable news. On January 6, 2018 Trump tweeted "Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart.... I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star... to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!" He has described himself as an "extremely stable genius" or "true stable genius" on several subsequent occasions.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2019/07/11/trump-again-calls-himself-stable-genius/1703154001/|title=Trump says he's 'so great looking and smart, a true Stable Genius' in tweet bashing 2020 Dems|last=Cummings|first=William|date=July 11, 2019|work=USA Today|accessdate=August 29, 2019}} On one such occasion he also called on multiple members of his staff to testify that he was calm and under control.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/23/trump-stable-genius-1342655|title='Extremely stable genius': Trump defends his mental fitness as he tears into Pelosi|last1=Forgey|first1=Quint|last2=Lippman|first2=Daniel|date=May 23, 2019|work=Politico|accessdate=August 29, 2019}}
Legislation
Brendan Boyle (D–PA–02) introduced the legislation as HR 4742 on January 9, 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.fox7austin.com/news/politics/congressman-introduces-stable-genius-act-requiring-medical-exams-for-presidential-candidates|title=Congressman introduces 'STABLE GENIUS Act' requiring medical exams for presidential candidates|publisher=Fox 7 Austin|date=January 11, 2018|accessdate=January 11, 2018}} It was immediately referred to the House Committee on House Administration, but no further action was taken.{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4742|title=H.R.4742 - STABLE GENIUS Act|work=Congress.gov|date=January 9, 2018|accessdate=August 31, 2019}}
In July 2019, months after the Democrats won majority status in the House of Representatives, Boyle reintroduced the legislation as HR 3736, where it was again referred to the House Committee on House Administration, but no further action was taken.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3736|title=H.R.3736 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Standardizing Testing and Accountability Before Large Elections Giving Electors Necessary Information for Unobstructed Selection Act|date=July 12, 2019}}
Reaction
On the January 10, 2018 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, Boyle said "Hopefully I have the best words to describe this",{{cite web|url=http://www.phillyvoice.com/philly-congressman-talks-stable-genius-act-msnbc/|title=Philly congressman talks 'Stable Genius Act' on MSNBC|work=Philly Voice|first=Andrew|last=Parent|date=January 10, 2018|accessdate=January 11, 2018}} referring to the comment Trump made on the campaign trail: "I'm very highly educated. I know words, I know the best words. But there's no better word than stupid."{{cite news |title=Trump: 'I have the best words' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/trump-i-have-the-best-words/2017/04/05/53a9ae4a-19fd-11e7-8598-9a99da559f9e_video.html |accessdate=18 April 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |agency=The Washington Post |date=5 April 2017}}
That night, Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon suggested an alternate name for the bill: "It is called the Too Little, Too Late Act."{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/368462-fallon-on-dem-introducing-bill-forcing-presidential-candidates-to-to-take/|work=The Hill|title=Fallon: Dem's bill forcing presidential candidates to take mental health exam the 'Too Little, Too Late Act'|date=January 11, 2018|access-date=January 11, 2018|last=Savransky|first=Rebecca}}
References
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Category:Proposed legislation of the 115th United States Congress
Category:Proposed legislation of the 116th United States Congress