Black Cosponsors Resolution Firing Back at President Obama’s Disregard for Congressional Authority

Washington, D.C. (Thursday, February 2, 2012) —Today, U.S. Representative Diane Black (R-TN), cosponsored H.Con Res 98, legislation that reasserts Congressional Authority in the face of President Obama’s efforts to sidestep the legislative branch.

“In light of the president’s constant efforts to go around Congress, it is important for the House of Representatives and Congress as a whole to reassert our authority as granted by the Constitution,” said Black.  “President Obama has made ignoring Congress a cornerstone of his presidency and his reelection campaign.  Unfortunately this gimmick is doing harm to our very system of government and the Constitution.  The Founders based our Republic on shared powers between coequal branches.  One president cannot disregard hundreds of years of law and precedent simply because it is a good talking point.”   

The language of the resolution clearly states the sense of the House that any Executive order that infringes on the powers and duties of the Congress under article I, section 8 of the Constitution has no power except that it is the president’s advisory opinion.  It goes on to say that money cannot be spent by the president for his executive orders unless Congress approves of the expenditure. 

“Congress is a lawmaking body and we hold the power of the purse,” said Black.  “Let this resolution serve as a refresher in basic civics for President Obama—our government is a system of checks and balances and this Congress will fight to preserve that structure.”