Bob Goodlatte: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, no one denies the constitutional power of the President to grant…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, no one denies the constitutional power of the President to grant clemency. The question here is whether this power is being used by the President of the United States as a way around the enforcement of the law as passed by the Congress when you invite mass representations of defense attorneys that thousands of their clients are entitled to have clemency granted to them. That is not a proper use of this power, and the Congress should not fund that office for that purpose. I think the gentleman's amendment is well-advised, and I strongly support it, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Holding amendment.”