On the recordJune 2, 2015
The executive branch, the President of the United States, has the responsibility to review applications for pardons and clemency, and this would interfere with the executive branch's responsibility in that regard. I think that it would also hamper our ability to move this bill to a position of final passage and signature by the President. I am opposed to it. I am glad the gentleman from Pennsylvania was able to have an opportunity to offer it and air his point of view, but I think when we have a President perhaps of a different party, there will be less enthusiasm for trying to unnecessarily interfere in the proper role of the executive, which clemencies and pardons are in the purview of the President; and detailing employees of the executive branch, for the Republican Party that is for normally streamlining and making nimble and allowing managers to set priorities and to move personnel around, to suggest that they somehow now are against this, I assume there is some particular reason, and it couldn't be anything other than on the merits I am certain. I thank the gentleman, and I would stand in opposition to the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.
