Task Force to Continue Its Examination of Obama Administration’s Executive Overreach

Washington, D.C.  – On Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., the Task Force on Executive Overreach will hold a hearing titled, “Executive Overreach in Domestic Affairs Part II – IRS Abuse, Welfare Reform, and Other Issues.” The task force previously examined President Obama’s failure to constitutionally implement the Affordable Care Act and his abrogation of the nation’s immigration laws, and next week’s hearing will explore other examples of executive overreach in domestic affairs, including IRS abuse, welfare reform work requirement waivers, and unilateral changes of energy law through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Specifically, the Treasury Inspector General found that conservative organizations were singled out for adverse tax treatment by the IRS and researchers have found that it may have significantly affected the 2012 presidential election. In another instance of overreach, President Obama unilaterally acted to remove the work requirements in the bipartisan federal welfare reforms of 1996. The Obama Administration has also attempted to unilaterally impose energy use rules on the states without congressional authorization. Twenty-six states – now expanded to 29 – asked the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to intervene immediately to stop this abuse, and the Supreme Court promptly stayed the enforcement of the President’s plan pending a resolution of the constitutional challenges against it. Witnesses for the hearing are:

• Ms. Cleta Mitchell, Partner, Foley & Lardner, Washington, D.C.
• Mr. David Bernstein, Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia Law School, and author of Lawless: The Obama Administration’s Unprecedented Assault on the Constitution and the Rule of Law
• Mr. Andrew Grossman, Partner, Baker & Hostetler, Washington, D.C.
• A Democratic witness to be named

Below is a statement from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Task Force, on the hearing.

“Throughout his presidency, President Obama has pushed the constitutional boundaries placed on his authority to enact policies on his own. From refusing to enforce our nation’s immigration laws to rewriting his signature health care law, President Obama has used his pen and phone time and time again to legislate from the Oval Office.“Next week, the task force will continue its examination of the Obama Administration’s continued abuse of power. We will look at the IRS’ targeting of conservative groups, the Obama Administration’s removal of work requirements for federal welfare programs, and the Administration’s re-engineering of our nation’s energy laws through the EPA, not Congress.”

This hearing will take place in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building and will be webcast live at /. Camera crews wishing to cover must be congressionally-credentialed and RSVP with the House Radio-TV Gallery at (202) 225-5214. Background on the Task Force: The Task Force on Executive Overreach is authorized for six months and will study the impact the increase in presidential and executive branch power has had on the ability of Congress to conduct oversight of the executive branch, the lack of transparency that furthers unchecked executive power, and the constitutional requirement of the President to faithfully execute the law. Additionally, the task force will review the tools at the disposal of the Congress to restore the proper balance of powers and hold the executive branch accountable. It will also make recommendations where there are deficiencies, including legislative solutions.