Reining in Executive Overreach

Statement

Dear Friends,

This week I voted for, and the House passed, two bills that would reign in executive abuse and overreach:

H.R. 4138, the Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of the Law (ENFORCE the Law) Act, which puts a procedure in place to permit the House, or the Senate, to authorize a lawsuit against the executive branch for failing to execute the laws.

H.R. 3973, the Faithful Execution of the Law Act, which requires all federal officials who establish or implement a formal or informal policy of not enforcing the law, to report to Congress on the reason for not enforcing the law.

Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution clearly states that the president, "shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." Instead we have a president that shows a blatant disregard for the law. From Obamacare to immigration, we have a president that picks and chooses when to enforce the law and when not to. Mississippians do not get to arbitrarily decide when to follow the law and when not to, and neither should the president.

The fact that the president has issued a veto against the ENFORCE the Law Act and threatened a veto against the Faithful Execution of the Law Act, further highlights why these bills are needed. Democrat or Republican, no Congressional body should tolerate as blatant of a disregard for the Constitution as we have seen during the current administration.

I am committed to holding the president accountable for his actions, many of which are at best controversial and at worst unconstitutional. Congress will continue holding hearings to exercise oversight over the executive branch and hold the president accountable for his actions. As Congress follows the facts and sees where they lead, I will use every parliamentary and procedural tool available to me as a Member of Congress to stop legislation that violates the Constitution, and expands the size and scope of the federal government.

Source