Hoyer: I Urge President Obama to Take Bold, Broad Action to Fix Our Nation's Broken Immigration System

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) delivered the following remarks today at a press conference, where he was joined by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Representative Luis Gutiérrez, Representative Zoe Lofgren, and other House Democrats to advocate for executive action on immigration reform, while also encouraging House Republicans to allow a vote on immigration legislation. Below is a transcript of his remarks:

“This is about helping people. This is about doing what, from a humanitarian standpoint and moral standpoint, is right. This is about doing what is economically for our country what is right and [the Congressional Budget Office] says will help our economy. For all of those reasons, this is the right thing to do.

“So I have joined with [Rep.] Gutiérrez and [Rep.] Lofgren and all of these Members in urging the President of the United States to take bold and broad action to respond to a problem that everyone agrees is responding to a broken system and trying to fix that system. That is what the President ought to do.  

“I said this morning on television that I believe that, in the President taking that action, it will help, not hurt. Why? Because once he takes action, if the Majority in the House of Representatives does not agree with that action, they can then take legislative action that will supersede the President’s executive order. And, as I’m sure many people have said, this is not an unusual action for a president to take.  Whether it was the Emancipation Proclamation, or Ronald Reagan, or George [H.W.] Bush, or George [W.] Bush, or Bill Clinton – passing executive orders to ensure that a broken system at least works a little better. And Justice Roberts, as you pointed out in the letter [to President Obama], has said the President has broad authority to do this.

“I am hopeful. [Rep.] Fattah mentioned bringing the Senate bill to the [House] Floor. [Republicans] don’t have to bring the Senate bill to the Floor. They passed five bills of their own out of committee. They can bring their own bills to the Floor.

“The problem the President of the United States confronts is that everyone agrees the system is broken, that action ought to be taken. And, by the way, I want to make it very clear – Speaker Boehner wants action to be taken. He has said that to Leader [Pelosi] and myself. He has said it to the President of the United States, and I believe him. Not only that, he said it to his Caucus just a few months ago, and he put forth a five-point program to proceed. Unfortunately, that action was not taken.

“So, I urge the President, in light of all that has happened, to take action, and my prediction is, if he does, then we will take action [in Congress]. And that is what Americans want. They want us to take action to solve the problems that confront the country. So I congratulate [Rep.] Gutiérrez, [Rep.] Lofgren, and all of my colleagues who have stood up for doing the right thing.”