Watch CBS News

Stigall Speaks To Congressman Gerlach About Latest Proposal

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Chris Stigall talked to Congressman Jim Gerlach Thursday morning on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT about his latest proposal requiring the President to strictly enforce federal laws and his decision not to seek re-election later this year.

Click below to listen to podcast...

Congressman Jim Gerlach

"The President, in Article II, has a clear power and duty to faithfully execute the law. That is a 'shall' clause. It's not an 'if you want to, when you want to' clause. It's a very clear statement in our Constitution, and I think there's ample examples in the prior number of years where [the President] clearly is making decisions by regulation or executive order that are contrary to the clear language of the law," Gerlach said, explaining his motivation for advancing the legislation.

"I crafted a bill that would allow either chamber of Congress to, if it believes by a vote of a supermajority of 60 percent that the President has violated the clause, to immediately get that question to the U.S. District Court in D.C. and give them a very tight deadline by which they have to make a decision whether the President acted unconstitutionally…It creates a fast track process," he said.

Gerlach also took issue with President Obama, stating that he's not open working with Republicans in Congress.

"He comes to the Congress in the State of the Union saying he wants to work, but I don't see any practical day-to-day indication that he wants to do that. Hopefully it changes at some point, and maybe after this election, after he loses the House again, and maybe the Senate, he'll get that he has to start working across lines a little bit, but I don't see any indication of that right now."

The Congressman also explained his decision not to run for seventh term in Pennsylvania's sixth district.

"I'm in my 12th year here in Congress and I don't foresee, in the next couple years, things really happening legislatively, unfortunately. I'm not at home with my wife as much as I'd like to be and seeing my kids as much as I'd like to do. I just thought after 12 years, it's a good time for me to move on to something new and exciting. I'm not ruling out running for public office down the road at some point in my life. Right now, it's a nice time to break," he said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.