House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, mocked President Obama’s increasing use of executive authority to implement his jobs proposals during an interview with Laura Ingraham, adding that House Republicans might cut funding for the executive actions in order “to bring this Administration to heel.”
“I thought that we were a nation of laws,” Boehner said today in response to Obama saying that he “can’t wait” for Congress. “You realize that Article One gives the Congress of the United States the power of the purse and that President has powers under Article Two.” Boehner added that “this idea that you’re just going to go around the Congress is just laughable.”
“I’ve got great concerns that he may be [beyond his constitutional authority],” Boehner said in response to a question from Ingraham. “And I know that our committees of jurisdiction . . . are looking at these proposals to make sure that the president isn’t exceeding his authority.”
The White House has maintained the agenda items that Obama implements “are the kinds of things that the President can do using his executive authority,” as White House Press Secretary Jay Carney put it while acknowledging that “they are not a substitute for congressional action.”
If House Republicans do conclude that Obama exceeds his executive authority, “we’ve got an appropriations process that’s under control here, where we have the ability to limit their use of funds to try to bring this administration to heel,” the Speaker said. “If the president is serious, he ought to be up here working with us to find common ground.”
“You know what, we can’t wait,” Boehner said, echoing Obama’s slogan. “As of a few minutes ago, there are now 16 bills that have passed the House, that would help job creators, and yet, [they’re] sitting over in the United States Senate — no action, any way shape or form.” Boehner also identified a number of legislative items in both Obama’s jobs plan and the Republican jobs proposals.
Boehner added a shot at Obama for trying to raise $1 billion for his reelection campaign.”If his ideas are so good, why would you need a billion dollars to promote them?” he said.
You can listen to the full interview below.
