(KCEN) -- A federal appeals court issued a huge ruling today against President Obama.
It ruled that he overstepped his constitutional authority with a series of appointments.
The three-judge panel unanimously struck down appointments President Obama made to the National Labor Relations Board while the Senate was on winter break.
The Constitution does allow Presidents to make appointments without Senate confirmation when they are in recess.
But Republicans had argued the Senate was never truly in recess when the appointments were rammed through.
The appeals court sided with the GOP, saying it wasn't up to the President to decide when there's a Senate recess.
White House Spokesman Jay Carney said, "The decision is novel and unprecedented. It contradicts 150 years of practice by Democratic and Republican administrations, so we respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the rulings."
The Obama administration is expected appeal to the Supreme Court in coming months.
