Another non-troversy

Obama Cannot Accept Nobel Prize Without Congress’ Consent, Three House Republicans Claim

In a letter to Obama delivered on Monday, Brown-Waite, R-Fla., along with Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, claim the president is obligated under the Constitution to obtain Congress’ approval before he formally accepts the prize.

Article I, Section 9, of the Constitution, the emolument clause, states: “And no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince or foreign state.”

The five-member Nobel commission, which awarded Obama the prize earlier this month, is elected by the Norwegian Parliament — the Storting. The award is therefore made by a group representing a foreign state, the writers argued.