A Florida congressman is going to bat for a measure censuring President Barack Obama on his executive action on gun control and other matters.
Noting censure resolutions had been brought out against Presidents Andrew Jackson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., introduced the resolution this week.
"For seven years, the president has gradually expanded his powers through executive overreach,” Palazzo said. “His actions this week to take away the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens is just the latest, if not most egregious, violation of the separation of powers found in the United States Constitution. Congress must go on record to stand up as an equal branch of government – both against this president and any future president who attempts to use his authority to write the law instead of enforce the law.
"The American people demand that we fight back against this president’s overreach, and this is the best way we can fight and win,’ Palazzo added.
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., announced on Thursday he was backing the censure effort.
“The recent executive overreach by President Obama – against the Second Amendment - is in direct violation of his sworn oath of office,’ Yoho said. “Seven years ago he placed his hand on the Bible and said, ‘I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’‘ On numerous occasions, he has failed to live up to this oath.
“From his refusal to enforce immigration laws, circumventing Congress, to delaying provisions of Obamacare, time and again, his unconstitutional actions have shown a blatant disregard for our designed system of government,” Yoho continued. “Congress and the American people will go on record to show our displeasure with his actions and remind him that, ‘All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States.''
Yoho is one of twelve Republicans co-sponsoring the measure and the only member of the Florida delegation to do so.
Democrats continued to stand behind Obama’s action on gun control. At her weekly press conference on Thursday, U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., defended Obama’s action on gun control and insisted he had the authority to do so. The censure proposal was sent to the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
“Americans overwhelmingly support action to reduce the daily tragedy of gun violence in our communities,” Pelosi said. “The president has clear authority to toughen the application and enforcement of existing laws to save lives. And, again, no substitute for some additional congressional action, which we’re asking for a vote for. It’s necessary because 30,000 Americans are being killed by guns each year; many more, probably three times that, close to 100,000, gun injuries.
“It was really almost sad to see Speaker Ryan and congressional Republicans say that the president’s action reduces action dismisses actions to reduce gun violence as a distraction. The speaker said what the president did was a distraction,” Pelosi added.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
