House amendment would sack Obama's czars

The House has passed an amendment attached to a spending package to sack President Barack Obama’s so-called "czars."

The amendment from Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) is part of legislation approved Feb. 19.

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 “Hardworking American families should not be forced to pay millions of dollars to fund these czars who are implementing radical policies under the cloak of darkness rather than going through the open and transparent process that we promised,” Scalise said.

In January, he reintroduced legislation that would require Senate approval of all czars through a formal confirmation process. The measure states that the process is called for because czars hold “similar authority and power as cabinet officials,” Scalise said.

But his amendment still has far to go. “The House bill, which would slash more than $61 billion from agency spending this year, has already drawn a White House veto threat,” writes Sean Reilly of Federal Times. It “stands no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate in its current form,” Reilly adds.