Lee Metcalf: “a steady increase in controversy over executive orders and presidential proclamations has arisen since Franklin…”

“a steady increase in controversy over executive orders and presidential proclamations has arisen since Franklin Roosevelt's administration. Nevertheless, I am truly concerned about the comments of the President's Chief of Staff, John Podesta, as quoted in the current issue of U.S. News and World Report. To quote Podesta: ``Frustrated with the balky Republican Congress, President Clinton plans a series of executive orders and changes to the Federal Rules that he can sign into law without first getting the okay from GOP naysayers. There's a pretty wide sweep of things we're looking to do, and we're going to be very aggressive in pursuing it.'' These statements are deeply disturbing and should be to all Americans. An unelected political bureaucrat is boasting to the American people about his plan to sidestep the Constitution. Sadly, Congress should not be surprised that this President's frustrated staff is looking to bypass Congress and implement their agenda. We have seen this before. When the President issued his Executive Order on striker replacements, he attempted to do what had been denied him by the regular legislative process. In addition, when the President issued his proclamation establishing a national monument in Utah, he again tried to do what he had been unable to achieve through Congress. Mr. Speaker, the founders expected national policy to be the result of open and full debate, hammered out by the legislative and executive branches.”