“The President may not—consistent with the command that he faithfully execute the laws—unilaterally amend, waive, or suspend the law,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte.

By DYLAN GARCIA

(TRNS) — Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee called President Obama’s recent Obamacare delays into question during a hearing today on Capitol Hill.

“The administration has ignored the separation of powers and unilaterally granted itself the constitutional authority to amend the laws,” said Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). “This raw assertion of authority goes beyond the power granted to the President.”

The President announced last month that Americans could keep non-qualifying healthcare plans for another year and called for a year-long delay on the mandate on employers to provide health insurance to employees. Both of those calls prompted today’s hearing.

“The President is trying to make laws at news conferences,” said Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

Constitutional Accountability Center Senior Counsel Simon Lazarus defended Obama’s actions. He called the one year delays “routine, temporary course corrections.”

Several Democrats heard no testimony from witnesses, deciding to instead use their time to challenge the legitimacy of the hearing, calling it a “farce” and a “waste of time.”

“We are throwing laws to the wasteland at this hearing, for it has no sense to it,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).

The hearing was briefly interrupted by outbursts from immigration reform advocates, known as DREAMers. They were quickly escorted out of the hearing room by Capitol Police.