House Dems Push Back on Obama Signing Statement

The Associated Press reports that a group of senior House Democrats are concerned that a recent “signing statement” issued by President Obama is  reminiscent of his predecessor’s reliance on the statements to undermine the will of Congress.

In a letter to the president, four Democrats including House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey said [they] were “surprised” and “chagrined” by Obama’s signing statement that accompanied a war spending bill.

[President George W.] Bush had relied on such statements to ignore laws he thought put unconstitutional limits on his executive power. Obama criticized Bush for frequently doing so but said he’d use them if authorized by the attorney general.

Obama’s signing statement said he wouldn’t allow provisions regarding international financial institutions to interfere with his ability to conduct foreign diplomacy.