Constitution and Government Oversight

When I took the oath of office as a member of the House of Representatives, I swore to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”  It is unquestionably my highest duty and responsibility. Unfortunately, Congress has too often exceeded the limited powers granted to it in Article I of the Constitution.  Our Presidents have sometimes overreached their power as well. I will work to restore limited government whereby the Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary Branches operate within their constitutional boundaries. 

The federal government is also prone to waste, fraud, and abuse.  Congress has recently investigated serious violations of the public trust, including the Administration’s troubling decision to give loans to financially unstable companies (such as Solyndra), and to implement an ill-advised initiative in which firearms were given to criminals in Mexico as part of a failed effort to detain leaders of dangerous gangs (“Fast and Furious”). As a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, I will work to ensure that federal agencies are operating properly and efficiently, and to hold officials accountable when they don’t.