Speech #1140007198

I am uncomfortable with the President issuing Executive orders such as thisno matter what party it is. no matter who the President is. But what I said when I made that statement isI pivoted. and I said: Do you know how we prevent that from happening? We have a House of Representatives that is willing to take up and debate immigration reform. This body passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill by a wide margin. It wasnt even a squeaker. Many of my Republican colleagues voted for it. understanding this is a public policy area in our country that needs to be addressed. We cant make it a political punching bag on either side. My party cant say: We are for the immigrants. we get their votes. And the Republican Party cant say: Well. we are for the tea party. and we are against all immigrants. We need to come together and do public policy in a system that is broken. The bill we passed here was amazing in terms of border security. But Speaker BOEHNER wouldnt take it up for more than 18 months. Speaker BOEHNER wouldnt even allow it to be debated on the floor of the House. Now the Republicans are in charge. Do they take up immigration reform? Do they have a proposal? By the way. that is the way you get rid of the Presidents Executive order. that is. we do our jobs.