2946015790_141402c1fe_z

Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist today expressed support for H.R. 4768 and S. 2724, The Separation of Powers Restoration Act (SOPRA), legislation introduced by Congressman John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). 

This important legislation ends the needless deference to unelected bureaucrats established by the Supreme Court under the Chevron ruling and reasserts basic constitutional rights to separated powers and judicial review.

The full letter can be found below or by clicking here.

Dear Congressman Ratcliffe and Senator Hatch,

I write in support of H.R. 4768 and S. 2724, The Separation of Powers Restoration Act (SOPRA), legislation to rein in federal agencies and unelected bureaucrats.

As you know, when Congress writes vague or ambiguous laws, courts are required to defer to an executive branch’s interpretation of such law. This was established by the Supreme Court’s 1984 ruling in Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council.

Over time, this has allowed federal bureaucrats to interpret statutes with broad leeway. Because the courts generally defer to their interpretation, it essentially gives regulatory agencies legislative, executive, and judicial authority over laws at the expense of the American people and democratically elected members of Congress.

SOPRA addresses this issue by requiring courts to conduct a “de novo” review of all relevant questions of law, instead of leaving this interpretation up to federal bureaucrats.

For the past seven years, the Obama administration has run riot, ignoring Congress and the will of the people again and again. Bureaucrats have continually made up the rules as they go along when it comes to implementing and interpreting laws, with little or no consequence.

SOPRA will end this needless deference to federal regulators, reassert Congressional responsibility over federal law, and ensure Americans maintain their basic constitutional rights to separated powers and judicial review.

As such, all members of Congress should have no hesitation supporting and co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Onward,

Grover G. Norquist

President, Americans for Tax Reform