Congressman Holding Statement on Presidential Constitutional Responsibility to Faithfully Execute the Law

Statement

Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to examine the President's Constitutional responsibility to 'faithfully execute' the law. Congressman George Holding (NC-13) released the following statement:

"In our democracy, power is divided among the three branches of our government, to make sure none becomes too powerful. It's one of the first things we learn in civics class. Our Founding Fathers carefully understood this principle -- as James Madison wrote, 'the accumulation of all powers legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands…may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.'

It is troubling that we even need to have this discussion about whether or not the President should faithfully execute laws -- this should already be understood, based on our Constitution. Unfortunately, President Obama continues to violate this Constitutional duty -- deciding arbitrarily when and where to enforce laws. From immigration, to drug laws, to his own signature healthcare law, President Obama has unilaterally granted himself extra-constitutional authority to change laws he doesn't like or to suspend enforcement of laws he doesn't agree with.

This is a blatant abuse of power -- Congress passes laws, and the President is required by the Constitution to execute them. President Obama continuously ignores our system of checks and balances and chooses to amend or waive laws based on his political preference and beliefs. If the President does not like something, he finds his own way around it through abusing his executive power.

This simply cannot continue -- the President picking and choosing what laws to enforce sets a dangerous precedent. If the President himself does not follow the law, then we have a real problem in our democratic system."

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