Griffith Statement on Boehner Memo

Statement

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today confirmed in a memo to Members of the House of Representatives that legislation will be brought to the floor in July that "…would authorize the House of Representatives -- through the House General Counsel and at the direction of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) -- to file suit in the coming weeks in an effort to compel the president to follow his oath of office and faithfully execute the laws of our country." Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement in response:

"As Members of the House of Representatives, it is our sworn duty to protect the rights and freedoms afforded us by our Constitution, and defend our system of checks and balances. I and others have been concerned about President Obama's executive actions, other efforts to circumvent Congress, and the effect this has on the separation of powers. I have been very troubled as he and many in his Administration have ignored laws, selectively enforced laws, and have attempted to change the law repeatedly without Congressional action. I strongly support efforts to protect our system of checks and balances established by our Constitution from encroachments by this President and any and all Presidents to come, and look forward to reviewing this legislation with the intent of supporting it."

"The Constitution is the governing document of this nation. As Pulitzer Prize winning columnist George Will said, "The framers of our Constitution didn't want an efficient government; they wanted a safe government.'"

Griffith agreeing, stated, "Our government was designed by the Founding Fathers to be deliberate and cumbersome so as to build consensus and compromise before taking action. While that can be frustrating, it helps to ensure that all viewpoints are heard and given due consideration."

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