Istook’s Insights: Congress surrenders power, giving presidents too many gifts

Everybody mad about Iran should be mad at Congress, not just at Obama.

President Obama says if Congress tries to block his nuclear deal with Iran, he’ll veto it. Obama already gave Iran $12 Billion and is about to unfreeze $150 Billion more, undoing sanctions enacted by Congress.

Where does Obama get power over that money, and to undo sanctions written into our laws?

The answer is that Congress talks tough about sanctions, but since 1992 created loopholes that let Presidents unravel everything.

These laws let Presidents undo sanctions simply by “certifying” that it’s best for America, or that a nation promises to give up terrorism, or other loopholes purely at Presidential discretion. So to reinstate sanctions, Congress needs a two-thirds vote to override a veto.

For years, Congress passed the buck and gave the Chief Executive too much power. 

Now Obama is throwing it right back in their faces.