Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution grants the president authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. This power is nearly absolute for federal crimes and cannot be limited by Congress. A presidential pardon restores civil rights and removes federal criminal penalties, but does not apply to state crimes or future offenses. The pardon power has been used for individual acts of clemency, controversial mass pardons, and self-serving political purposes, with no formal mechanism for judicial review of the decision itself — only of the pardon's scope.