Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to the rule governing debate of H.R. 5759. the socalled "Preventing Executive Overreach On Immigration Act." and the underlying bill. I oppose the rule and the underlying bill because it is nothing more than the Republican majoritys latest partisan attack on the President and another diversionary tactic to avoid addressing the challenge posed by the nations broken immigration system. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 5759. which by all appearances was hastily introduced on November 20. 2014. without evident deliberation for the ostensible purpose of establishing a retroactive "rule of construction clarifying the limitations on executive authority to provide certain forms of immigration relief." As originally drafted and introduced the bill provided: No provision of the United States Constitution. the Immigration and Nationality Act. or other Federal law shall be interpreted or applied to authorize the executive branch of the Government to exempt. by Executive order. regulation. or any other means. categories of persons unlawfully present in the United States from removal under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). Any action by the executive branch with the purpose of circumventing the objectives of this statute shall be null and void and without legal effect. Although the bill was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. upon which I have served throughout my ten terms in Congress. no hearing or markup of the bill was ever held.
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