WASHINGTON D.C. – Representative Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 5314, the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

“This vote was just another political stunt by President Trump impeachment manager Adam Schiff.  This disastrous legislation purports to address abuses of presidential power as well as accountability and transparency.

In that spirit, I offered three amendments: (1) an amendment striking and replacing the entire bill text with my Separation of Powers Restoration Act which repeals the War Powers Resolution Act, terminates all states of emergency, reinvests national emergency declaration authority in Congress, blocks all Presidential orders unless it is the President acting with express authority granted in the Constitution or given by an Act of Congress, and gives members of Congress, state and local governments, and the People, standing to challenge Presidential orders in court which exceed executive power; (2) an amendment establishing a program requiring House leadership to wear body cameras; (3) an amendment terminating the COVID-19 National Emergency.

Sadly, our country has continuously moved away from the wisdom of the Founders, investing more and more power into an unconstitutional executive branch hellbent on infringing on our rights and liberties.  If Democrats were serious about curtailing abuses of presidential power or providing transparency and accountability, they would have supported my amendments. Instead, they rejected all of them in favor of legislation that would inappropriately make Congress a permanent installation of the executive branch.

If this republic is to survive, we must restore the separation of powers to check government overreach.  This legislation fails to do that.  I voted no,” concluded Congressman Gosar.