Back in January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that President Barack Obama acted outside of his constitutional authority when he made three recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a relic of the New Deal, in January 2012.
While the Constitution does provide a president with the power to make recess appointments, the Senate was in pro forma session, and hadn’t formally adjourned.
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed HR 1120 — the Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act — which would prevent the NRLB from taking any action until either the Supreme Court settles the legal case on the recess appointments or until Congress adjourns for the year:
