House Republicans unveiled the fourth plank of their “A Better Way” platform Thursday, which they said is aimed at upholding the Constitution.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) answers questions during his weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The proposal includes measures to establish and enforce limits on the regulatory authority of federal agencies, block executive overreach and impose new limits on spending by federal agencies.
One of the ideas in the proposal would require federal regulators to publish a “simple 100-word summary of any new, proposed regulation” online.
During the launch event in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said that the Constitution plank of the “A Better Way” platform is “the most significant part” of their agenda, explaining:
Our problem is not so much that the presidency, under both parties, keeps breaking the rules — though it clearly does — our problem is that the Congress, under both parties, keeps forfeiting the game. Yielding to the executive branch. Giving the president a blank check, not even bothering to read the fine print in some cases.
Ryan said that when Congress yields its authority to the executive branch it results in “out of control spending,” “chaos at the border” and “not being able to live out your faith.”
“It means not being free,” Ryan said. “That’s why this plan is so important.”
Being free means not having to worry about your rights being violated in the first place. #BetterWay https://t.co/19GRITe8Lc
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 16, 2016
During remarks to reporters following the launch, Ryan said the proposal aims to “restore the entire principle of self-government, of government by consent.”
“We will lose our freedoms in this country — including all of the Bill of Rights — if we don’t robustly defend the separation of powers, and we’re going to fight for those rights on behalf of our citizens, so that we remain a self-governing people,” Ryan said.
Planks of the platform previously released by House Republicans were aimed at fighting poverty, strengthening national security and growing the economy.
—
Follow Kate Scanlon (@kgscanlon) on Twitter and Facebook.
