Washington, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, issued the following statement over concerns about the 25th Amendment and the Constitutional process to determine a President’s ability to serve:

“America faces immense challenges, both domestically and on the global front. Issues like immigration reform, tax policy, Health Care and the menace of Pyongyang require that members of Congress must remain focused and committed to delivering results for the American people.

“The evaluation of a President’s mental capacity is not one that members of Congress are equipped to make. But the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution lays out a clear process by which such a judgment of Presidential capacity can be made.

“That is why I joined with 56 of my Democratic colleagues in co-sponsoring H.R. 1987, which sets up an independent, bipartisan Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity. H.R. 1987 will specifically implement the 25th Amendment by:

• Creating the Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity, a non-partisan Commission whose members will be appointed by the Majority and Minority leaders in both chambers and composed of physicians, psychiatrists, and elder statespersons (such as former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Attorneys and Surgeons General, and Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury), and one member selected by the appointed members to serve as Commission Chair.

• Setting forth procedures for Congress to consider a concurrent resolution to direct the Commission to examine the President and report its findings to Congress.

“The occupant of the Oval Office is entrusted to preserve and protect the Constitution and take care that our nation’s laws are faithfully executed. We in Congress have a duty to ensure the President is mentally equipped to fulfill his sacred oath.”