After he delivers his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Barack Obama will consider enacting even more executive actions and orders concerning environmental regulations, gay and lesbian issues, cyberterrorism policies, and the refinancing of mortgages even for those with privately backed mortgages.
According to the Washington Post, one of the first executive orders will come this week as a “call for the creation of new standards on what critical private-sector companies should do to protect their computer systems from hackers.” The order will impact “industries such as transportation that are regulated by executive branch agencies” and “increase the amount of computer threat data that the government shares with companies.”
Last year, Obama used an executive order to circumvent immigration law, offering illegal immigrants who came to the country as children temporary work permits if they met certain requirements. Last month, Obama also enacted 23 executive orders on gun control.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told the Post Obama is going down a “dangerous road” that is “contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.”
“Just because Congress doesn’t act doesn’t mean the president has a right to act,” he said.
Obama may be determined to use the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue more regulations “governing carbon emissions by existing power plants” and promoting more energy-efficient buildings. He will also seek to allow Americans with privately backed mortgages that are underwater opportunities to refinance under low interest rates.
Obama, according to reports, is also “reconsidering whether to issue an executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”