Pocan Statement on Boehner Plan to Sue President Obama

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02) today issued the following statement on Speaker Boehner's announcement that he will sue President Obama on behalf of the House of Representatives over the use of executive actions that Republicans believe are beyond the President's authority:

"With Speaker Boehner and the Tea Party at the helm, this Congress has failed to act on vital legislation to help improve the lives of Americans. The same Speaker who allowed the government to shut down last October, now intends to sue the President of the United States for acting while Congress has not, instead voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act 54 times and turning the tragedy in Benghazi into a manufactured scandal.

"In fact, the least productive Congress in modern history – the so-called ‘Do-nothing Congress' of 1948 – passed 350 bills in their first year; this Congress passed fewer than 100 bills in its first year. It is ironic the Speaker would sue the President for doing his job while the House of Representatives fails to do its job.

"Speaker Boehner is allowing the Tea Party tail to wag the dog. It is clear he has chosen to be the Speaker for the extreme right-wing of the Republican Party. Unfortunately, this Republican controlled House of Representatives has no intention of actually governing and will continue to block any effort by President Obama at the expense of our constituents."

###