This letter was sent by the Presidents of the 51 US Leagues to Congressional leadership regarding the state of the country.
It begins …
Re: Calling on Congress to Act
Dear Leader Thune, Leader Schumer, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries:
The League of Women Voters of the United States (“the League”), along with our state affiliates in 50 states and the District of Columbia, write to express our strong concern about Congress’s abdication of its duty and authority under Article I of the US Constitution. We urge you to exercise your authority to protect the rule of law, defend the Constitution, and end the overreach by the executive branch of government, which is surely leading to harm for millions of Americans. We demand that you honor your oaths and protect your constituents.
Less than a month into his second term, President Trump has issued a series of executive orders (EOs) and directed actions that violate the law and encroach upon the authority of Congress as representatives of the American people. Of note, the Trump administration has, through wide-ranging executive actions,
attempted to:
- End birthright citizenship for all persons born in the United States;
- Pause the distribution of federal funds already allocated to programs by Congress;
- Dismantle federal agencies such as the US Agency for International Development (“USAID”) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), which require notice to and the input of Congress before such actions can be taken;
- Allow private citizens, who have neither been elected or complied with the advice and consent requirement of the Senate, to access sensitive government systems; and
- Attempt to reduce the federal workforce through unorthodox means that deny them due process.
