Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. WEBER of Texas. I thank my friend from Florida (Mr. Yoho) for yielding the floor and for leading this Special Order and introducing H. Res. 693.
Mr. Speaker, as of yesterday, the Obama Presidency was 90 percent over. So let's do a quick recap of just what has happened over these past 7\1/2\ years.
First, the President violated the Constitution by unilaterally changing sections of the Affordable Care Act at least 23 times without having congressional approval. That is Public Law 111-148. Even though he said, probably, on some 20 occasions that he didn't have constitutional authority to do things, he still did them.
Two, the President and the Department of Justice were in direct violation of their constitutional responsibility to the Defense of Marriage Act, which is Public Law 104-199.
The President and his department of injustice continue to choose not to enforce Federal drug laws, which are Public Law 91-513, the Controlled Substances Act, and Public Law 100-690, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986.
The President violated the Constitution by making Presidential appointments to the National Labor Relations Board and to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while Congress was not in session, so declared by him.
I have read the Constitution, Mr. Speaker. Only the Senate majority leader can decide when the Senate is in session, not the President. I might add that the President was slapped down by the Supreme Court 9- zip.
Further, the President and the department of injustice abused executive privilege in the Operation Fast and Furious scandal by refusing to comply with a subpoena that was issued by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the United States House of Representatives, thereby violating section 192 of title II, United States Code.
The President violated the law, which is Public Law 89-236, by unilaterally changing our Nation's immigration laws with regard to deferred action, giving illegal aliens access to government programs and tax credits that are funded by our constituents, which is in contravention of our Constitution.
The President and the Department of Health and Human Services failed to enforce Federal law, which is Public Law 111-5, by illegally waiving the work requirement for welfare recipients.
Under this President, the IRS violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution by targeting nonprofit organizations because of their religious or political beliefs.
The President and the Department of Defense knowingly violated the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA of 2014, which is Public Law 113-66, by not providing a 30-day notice to Congress prior to transporting five Guantanamo detainees to Qatar in a prisoner swap.
Some would say in military terms that the terrorists got five nuclear weapons and we got one conventional weapon, which turned out to be a dud.
The President and his administration continue to move forward with his plan to close the Guantanamo detention facility and move the detainees.
By the way, did you know that one out of three prisoners released rejoin their terrorist organizations and wind up at the front lines, seeking to kill yet more Americans?
Folks, it is the duty of the legislative branch to write and pass laws, the judicial branch to interpret those laws, and the executive branch's duty to enforce those same laws.
The very success of our form of government comes from this simple balance of powers. This critically important founding principle is currently being trampled on by this President while most of our citizens may not even be aware of its damaging implications.
Our Nation's laws are not mere suggestions to be dismissed on a whim. Our laws are binding. If we in Congress allow this or any President to ignore the rule of law, then we allow the foundation of our Nation to be shattered.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Yoho, for introducing this resolution of which I am a proud cosponsor.
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. You know I am right.
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