Congressional candidate Richard Matthews has an excellent statement on the Enumerated Powers Act
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Richard Matthews is in full support of the Enumerated Powers Act. It was first introduced in 1995 by Rep John Shadegg of Arizona’s Third Congressional District and in Maryland is co-sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett of the Sixth District. This bill has been reintroduced every two years but has never entered into the agenda of it’s assigned committee (Judiciary, and Rules), nor been offered for a up or down vote on the floor.
The Enumerated Powers Act is a simple bill that requires Congress, on every bill, to site the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of the Act in question. This straightforward bill should be supported by every member of congress without hesitation. The very fact that it is not supported by many, including Dutch Ruppersberger, is an acknowledgment of the lack of respect for constitutional lawmaking in our nation’s capital.
We need leadership in Washington that is not afraid to make a commitment to respect the governing documents of our country. Some politicians have been known to pass bills even while acknowledging the possibility of their unconstitutional nature. Their stance is to let the courts approach the bill later and strike out the portions that are in fact unconstitutional. These roughshod attitudes about our Constitution is exactly why we find ourselves with a Federal Government having a three trillion dollar budget, a directionless war in the middle east, and trampling on our freedoms and individual liberties.
The Enumerated Powers Act is a rare piece of good legislation. No better indictment can be made against our incumbent politicians than their lack of support for this bill.
DownsizeDC.org supports the Enumerated Powers Act. You can tell Congress to pass it here.