Presidential Perogative

[dolphinboy]

If the President of the United States showed up uninvited during an open session of Congress could he…

1. Walk onto the floor of the House or Senate and talk to a representative, or would he be escorted out by the Sergeant of Arms?

2. What about meeting a congressional representative in the cloak room?

3. What about sitting down in the Gallery in order to watch a debate?

I assume the President could meet with a congressperson in their private office whenever they wanted.

In other words, would a sitting president be allowed to visit Congress while it is in session when he is not giving the State of the Union address, or would that be considered crossing the line of separation of powers?

[BuzzSaw101]

Woodrow Wilson would visit the Capitol all the time during his first term. There is a “President’s Room” in the Capitol where Wilson would meet with lawmakers. The room used to be used for bill signings by the president, but that hasn’t happened in years.

" The first Democratic president in sixteen years, he (Woodrow Wilson) intended to use the President’s Room as a working office to confer with congressional Democrats, who controlled both houses for the first time in eighteen years."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_President’s_Room

[dolphinboy]

@BuzzSaw101

Woodrow Wilson would visit the Capitol all the time during his first term. There is a “President’s Room” in the Capitol where Wilson would meet with lawmakers. The room used to be used for bill signings by the president, but that hasn’t happened in years.

" The first Democratic president in sixteen years, he (Woodrow Wilson) intended to use the President’s Room as a working office to confer with congressional Democrats, who controlled both houses for the first time in eighteen years."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_President’s_Room

Perfect. Thanks Buzz…