{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140223082340/http://holding.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-holding-statement-on-presidential-constitutional", "Congressman Holding Statement on Presidential Constitutional Responsibility to Faithfully Execute the Law", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "George Holding", "H001065", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "For Immediate Release: December 3, 2013\nContact: Lindsay Hamilton, 202-225-3032\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nCongressman Holding Statement on Presidential Constitutional Responsibility to Faithfully Execute the Law\n\u00a0\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to examine the President\u2019s Constitutional responsibility to 'faithfully execute' the law. Congressman George Holding (NC-13) released the following statement:\n\u00a0\n\u201cIn our democracy, power is divided among the three branches of our government, to make sure none becomes too powerful.\u00a0 It\u2019s one of the first things we learn in civics class. Our Founding Fathers carefully understood this principle \u2013 as James Madison wrote, 'the accumulation of all powers legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands\u2026may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.'\n\u00a0\nIt is troubling that we even need to have this discussion about whether or not the President should faithfully execute laws \u2013 this should already be understood, based on our Constitution. Unfortunately, President Obama continues to violate this Constitutional duty \u2013 deciding arbitrarily when and where to enforce laws. From immigration, to drug laws, to his own signature healthcare law, President Obama has unilaterally granted himself extra-constitutional authority to change laws he doesn\u2019t like or to suspend enforcement of laws he doesn\u2019t agree with.\n\u00a0\nThis is a blatant abuse of power \u2013 Congress passes laws, and the President is required by the Constitution to execute them. President Obama continuously ignores our system of checks and balances and chooses to amend or waive laws based on his political preference and beliefs. If the President does not like something, he finds his own way around it through abusing his executive power.\n\u00a0\nThis simply cannot continue \u2013 the President picking and choosing what laws to enforce sets a dangerous precedent. If the President himself does not follow the law, then we have a real problem in our democratic system.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140223082340/http://holding.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-holding-statement-on-presidential-constitutional"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.6033809408545494, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}