[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 36 (Monday, March 7, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E285-E287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CHRONICLING THE PRESIDENT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KEITH J. ROTHFUS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 7, 2016

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, when our Founders wrote the Constitution, 
they had the wisdom to create a system of checks and balances among the 
three branches of government.
  They knew this would limit power, protect against abuses, and promote 
liberty under the Constitution.
  The President has the right to nominate justices to the Supreme 
Court, but the Senate has the co-equal right to consent to such an 
appointment.
  One branch has a power; another has a check.
  Today, with a vacancy on the Supreme Court, we have a chance to see 
this system of checks and balances in action.
  In deciding to exercise its consent to an appointment to the Supreme 
Court, the Senate should assess whether the President has been acting 
consistent with the Constitution.
  The chart below highlights just a few of the President's 
unconstitutional actions since he was reelected in 2012.
  July 2013: President disregards employer mandate.
  February 2014: President disregards employer mandate again.
  June 2014: SCOTUS rules 9-0 President violated Appointments Clause.
  November 2014: President announces executive amnesty.
  May 2015: Court of Appeals stops executive amnesty.
  February 2016: Stops Clean Power Plan.
  These actions have been frequent, repeated, and grave.
  These actions have poisoned the well of deliberation for this 
appointment.
  In that light, why shouldn't the Senate withhold consent? It is a 
game the President chose to play, and now he must face the consequence.

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate of February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place and 
purpose of the meetings, when scheduled and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, 2016 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                MARCH 9
     9:30 a.m.
       Committee on Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine cooperative federalism, 
           focusing on state perspectives on Environmental 
           Protection Agency regulatory actions and the role of 
           states as co-regulators.
                                                            SD-406
       Committee on the Judiciary
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Justice.
                                                            SD-226
     10 a.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, 
           and Related Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Indian 
           Health Service.
                                                            SD-124
       Committee on Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the nominations of General 
           Joseph L. Votel, USA, for reappointment to the grade of 
           general and to be Commander, United States Central 
           Command, and Lieutenant General Raymond A. Thomas III, 
           USA, to be general and Commander, United States Special 
           Operations Command.
                                                            SD-G50
       Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         Business meeting to consider S. 1878, to extend the 
           pediatric priority review voucher program, S. 1077, to 
           provide for expedited development of and priority 
           review for breakthrough devices, S. 1101, to amend the 
           Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the 
           regulation of patient records and certain decision 
           support software, S. 2055, to amend the Public Health 
           Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
           Act with respect to national health security, S. 1767, 
           to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with 
           respect to combination products, S. 1597, to enhance 
           patient engagement in the medical product development 
           process, S. 2512, to expand the tropical disease 
           product priority review voucher program to encourage 
           treatments for Zika virus, and the nomination of John

[[Page E286]]

           B. King, of New York, to be Secretary of Education.
                                                            SD-106
     10:30 a.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Department of Defense
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Defense 
           Health Program.
                                                            SD-192
     2 p.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
           Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department 
           of Agriculture.
                                                            SD-124
       Committee on the Judiciary
       Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer 
           Rights
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the enforcement 
           of the antitrust laws.
                                                            SD-226
     2:15 p.m.
       Committee on Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the President's 
           proposed budget request for fiscal year 2017 for Indian 
           Country.
                                                            SD-628
     2:30 p.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department 
           of Energy.
                                                            SD-138
       Committee on Armed Services
       Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of Defense 
           security cooperation and assistance programs and 
           authorities.
                                                           SR-232A
       Committee on Armed Services
       Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
         To hold closed hearings to examine military space threats 
           and programs in review of the Defense Authorization 
           Request for fiscal year 2017 and the Future Years 
           Defense Program.
                                                           SVC-217

                                MARCH 10
     9:30 a.m.
       Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
         To hold hearings to examine the Affordable Care Act 
           health insurance Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan 
           program.
                                                            SD-342
     10 a.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
           Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department 
           of Education.
                                                            SD-138
       Committee on Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine United States Strategic 
           Command, United States Northern Command, and United 
           States Southern Command programs and budget in review 
           of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 
           2017 and the Future Years Defense Program; with the 
           possibility of a closed session following the open 
           session in SVC-217.
                                                            SD-G50
       Committee on Finance
         To hold hearings to examine HealthCare.gov, focusing on a 
           review of operations and enrollment.
                                                            SD-215
       Committee on Foreign Relations
         Business meeting to consider S. 1252, to authorize a 
           comprehensive strategic approach for United States 
           foreign assistance to developing countries to reduce 
           global poverty and hunger, achieve food and nutrition 
           security, promote inclusive, sustainable, agricultural-
           led economic growth, improve nutritional outcomes, 
           especially for women and children, build resilience 
           among vulnerable populations, S. Res. 375, raising 
           awareness of modern slavery, S. Res. 368, supporting 
           efforts by the Government of Colombia to pursue peace 
           and the end of the country's enduring internal armed 
           conflict and recognizing United States support for 
           Colombia at the 15th anniversary of Plan Colombia, S. 
           Res. 378, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding 
           the courageous work and life of Russian opposition 
           leader Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov and renewing the call 
           for a full and transparent investigation into the 
           tragic murder of Boris Yefimovich Nemtsov in Moscow on 
           February 27, 2015, an original resolution that 
           expresses profound concern over the prosecution and 
           conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed without 
           due process and urges the Government of the Maldives to 
           take all necessary steps to redress this injustice, 
           release all political prisoners, and to ensure due 
           process and freedom from political prosecution for all 
           the people of the Maldives, and the nominations of 
           Catherine Ann Novelli, of Virginia, to be Alternate 
           Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and 
           Development, and Karen Brevard Stewart, of Florida, to 
           be Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 
           Amos J. Hochstein, of the District of Columbia, to be 
           an Assistant Secretary (Energy Resources), Robert Annan 
           Riley III, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the 
           Federated States of Micronesia, Matthew John Matthews, 
           of Oregon, for the rank of Ambassador during his tenure 
           of service as Senior Official for the Asia-Pacific 
           Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, and routine lists in 
           the Foreign Service, all of the Department of State; to 
           be immediately followed by a hearing to examine the 
           nominations of Stephen Michael Schwartz, of Maryland, 
           to be Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia, 
           Kelly Keiderling-Franz, of Virginia, to be Ambassador 
           to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Elizabeth Holzhall 
           Richard, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese 
           Republic, and Christine Ann Elder, of Kentucky, to be 
           Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia, all of the 
           Department of State, Mark Sobel, of Virginia, to be 
           Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund 
           for a term of two years, and R. David Harden, of 
           Maryland, to be an Assistant Administrator of the 
           United States Agency for International Development.
                                                            SD-419
       Committee on the Judiciary
         Business meeting to consider S. 247, to amend section 349 
           of the Immigration and Nationality Act to deem 
           specified activities in support of terrorism as 
           renunciation of United States nationality, S. 2390, to 
           provide adequate protections for whistleblowers at the 
           Federal Bureau of Investigation, S. 2613, to 
           reauthorize certain programs established by the Adam 
           Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, S. 2614, 
           to amend the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement 
           Act of 1994, to reauthorize the Missing Alzheimer's 
           Disease Patient Alert Program, and to promote 
           initiatives that will reduce the risk of injury and 
           death relating to the wandering characteristics of some 
           children with autism, and the nominations of Elizabeth 
           J. Drake, of Maryland, Jennifer Choe Groves, of 
           Virginia, and Gary Stephen Katzmann, of Massachusetts, 
           each to be a Judge of the United States Court of 
           International Trade, and Clare E. Connors, to be United 
           States District Judge for the District of Hawaii.
                                                            SD-226
       Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
         To hold hearings to examine the commercial applications 
           of unmanned aircraft for small businesses.
                                                           SR-428A
     10:30 a.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related 
           Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the National 
           Aeronautics and Space Administration.
                                                            SD-192
     11 a.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, 
           and Related Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2018 
           for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
                                                            SD-124
     2 p.m.
       Select Committee on Intelligence
         To hold closed hearings to examine certain intelligence 
           matters.
                                                            SH-219
     2:30 p.m.
       Committee on Appropriations
       Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban 
           Development, and Related Agencies
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and 
           justification for fiscal year 2017 for the Department 
           of Housing and Urban Development.
                                                            SD-192

                                MARCH 15
     10 a.m.
       Committee on Armed Services
       Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
         To hold hearings to examine the current state of 
           readiness of United States forces in review of the 
           Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2017 and 
           the Future Years Defense Program.
                                                            SR-222
       Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the security of United States 
           visa programs.
                                                            SD-342

[[Page E287]]

       Committee on the Judiciary
         To hold hearings to examine late-term abortion.
                                                            SD-226

                                MARCH 16
     10 a.m.
       Committee on Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine the 2016 Water Resources 
           Development Act, focusing on policies and projects.
                                                            SD-406
       Committee on Veterans' Affairs
         To hold a joint hearing with the House Committee on 
           Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative 
           presentation of multiple Veterans Service 
           Organizations.
                                                            SD-G50
     2:15 p.m.
       Committee on Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Government 
           Accountability Office report on telecommunications, 
           focusing on the need for additional coordination and 
           performance measurement for high-speed Internet access 
           programs on tribal lands.
                                                            SD-628

                                MARCH 17
     9:30 a.m.
       Committee on Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of Defense 
           budget posture in review of the Defense Authorization 
           Request for fiscal year 2017 and the Future Years 
           Defense Program.
                                                            SD-G50