Obama to Tout the 40 Executive Actions He's Taken Without Congress This Year

Despite facing a congressional lawsuit for not faithfully executing the law, President Barack Obama is prepared to boast about the more than 40 executive actions he has taken this year.

President Barack Obama speaks at 1776, a hub for tech startups, Thursday, July 3, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Obama is leaving Tuesday for a western swing through Colorado and Texas. He'll deliver speeches at Democratic fundraisers in Denver and Dallas, and give an address on the economy in Austin.

"While Congressional Republicans continue to block votes on important issues like equal pay and the minimum wage and undertake taxpayer funded political stunts like Speaker Boehner’s plan to sue the president for doing his job, the president will continue to do everything in his power – with and without congress – to create economic opportunity for all Americans,” White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer wrote on the White House blog Tuesday.

“On Thursday in Austin, TX, the President will highlight the actions his Administration has taken – more than 40 since January – to benefit hardworking Americans,” Pfeiffer continued. "From helping to create new manufacturing jobs, to expanding apprenticeships and job training, and from making student loan payments more affordable, to cutting carbon pollution, the President’s used his pen and phone on behalf of folks all across the country.

Obama has made it clear that he is not stepping away from his “pen and phone” strategy of acting without Congress.

Among the unilateral actions that have prompted rebuke from Congress were delaying parts of the Obamacare law, and the deferred action program to prevent the deportation of certain young illegal immigrants.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that Obama's recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board were not valid because the Senate was still in session.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said the House will vote moving forward with the legal action because he believes it is necessary to ensure Obama executes the law.