Article I of the United States Constitution vests all legislative powers in Congress and Article II charges the president with faithfully executing those laws. In plain language, Congress writes the laws and the president enforces them.
This week's bulletin focuses on the fourth part of the Better Way series which expresses the importance of the government upholding the Constitution.
For many years, particularly the last eight, we've seen the White House overstep its constitutional boundaries to take more power for itself, at the expense of the people and their elected representatives. This has led to the president effectively legislating by regulation, imposing onerous new rules on American taxpayers and small busineses without any checks and balances. Whether it's rules in the president's health care law, the Waters of the U.S. rule, or the EPA's new climate rule, Missourians are being punished by a deluge of rules and regulations that were implemented outside of the process envisioned by our founding fathers in our Constitution.
That's why it is critical that we restore the separation of powers among the three branches of government.
Included in the Better Way initiative are 31 ideas to promote limited government, transparency, accountability, and the role of the states. This piece of the agenda gets to the heart of turning our country around and includes concrete proposals to rein in the bureaucrats; conduct rigorous oversight over the executive branch; root out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs; and better exercise the power of the purse.
An important section in the Better Way agenda would restore full disclosure of the administration's regulatory plans and stop overly burdensome regulations. During the first six years of this administration, federal regulators added an average of 81 new major regulations. One Better Way provision would help restore the balance of power by requiring all federal agencies to submit major regulations, those that are $100 million or more, to Congress for approval. This would hold Congress accountable for decisions to impose new major regulations for the American people not the executive branch.
In addition, included in this Better Way plan, is my legislation that was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year. My bill, the Providing Accountability Through Trasparency Act, would require each agency to publish an online, plain-language, 100-word summary of any proposed regulation, no matter how big or small. Most proposed rules are long-winded and not easy to understand, so my bill ensures there is a shortened statement so Americans know exactly how these proposed rules from the Administration will affect them and their business.
We won't be able to fix many of the problems in Washington unless there is a government that follows the Constitution and upholds the rule of law. When the administration oversteps its boundaries, it tramples on the will of the American people. That's why this section of the Better Way is of the upmost importance so we can start to rebuild Congress's institutional strength and restore the checks and balances and separation of powers that our founders put so much work into achieving.
There is a lot of information within the Better Way agenda, if you find yourself seeking additional information or would like to read more, please feel free to contact any of my offices for help.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., represents the state's 3rd District, which includes Jefferson City. His local office can be reached at 573-635-7232.
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