Speech #1130127020

Mr. Speaker. I stand today to urge my colleagues to affirm the best of our traditions as a nation. rather than our worst partisan inclinations and oppose H.R. 5759. the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014. After several years of delay and obstruction on the matter of comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama acted to protect American immigrant families from the threat of forcible separation under immigration laws that are inadequate in the TwentyFirst Century. by permitting parents living in the United States whose children are citizens or legal permanent residents to avoid deportation and receive authorization to work. This legislation. H.R. 5759. exists only to allow the Republicancontrolled House of Representatives to perpetuate the status quo that has done greater harm to immigrants who have been a part of our communities and criticize President Obama and the families and children he is seeking to protect. The enactment of this legislation would repudiate our commitment to the value of families. H.R. 5759 would nullify and block implementation of the Presidents executive actions. If indeed the House majority were to act on the bipartisan Senate immigration reform bill. There would have been no need for the President to Act through his Executive Authority. We. in Congress. must legislate actually solutions. Congress has an obligation to pass commonsense immigration reform that offers meaningful solutions to the broken system. It is also important to note that every president during the past 50 years has taken executive action on immigration and granted temporary immigration relief. Like his predecessors. this president has the legal authority to take these actions under the Constitution and the Immigration and Nationality Act. Unfortunately. the partisan divide in our nations capital has created this legislation of discord. The constituents of my district and across the United States understand that families are the foundation of our civil society. They want reform of our immigration laws that protects the interests of American immigrant families and supports the development of our nation and its people. President Obamas executive action would provide protection to millions of immigrants. keep families together and expand our economy. I urge the rejection of this legislation. H.R. 5759 fails to uphold the ideals on which this nation was established.