Today Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) acted to rein in the executive branch and restore Congress' legislative power. Olson was a cosponsor of and voted for H.R. 4768 the Separation of Powers Restoration Act, a bill to amend the Administrative Procedure Act to overturn the "Chevron doctrine" of judicial deference to agency interpretations of statutory and regulatory provisions. This will restore the proper balance of power between the three branches of government and ensure the integrity of our constitutional process. The bill passed the House by a vote of 240-171.
"The separation of powers is a fundamental tenet of American democracy," Rep. Olson said. "Our founding fathers worked hard to ensure that no one branch of government had too much power. As we know all too well, under the Obama White House, the balance of power has shifted dramatically to the executive branch. Congress has the constitutional authority to pass laws AND when there is a question of interpretation, the Courts must review intent. The executive branch was never intended to be the ultimate arbiter of how laws are enacted."