Hoyer Remarks on Republican Efforts to Undo President Obama’s Executive Action on Immigration

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor this afternoon in opposition to House Republicans’ anti-immigrant amicus brief resolution. Below is a transcript of his remarks and a link to the video: 

Click here to watch the video.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this resolution. I say to my friends across the aisle, who are so passionate about Congress having a role in this case, where was that enthusiasm when Congress had ample opportunity to prevent this case by doing its job and enacting real bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform? The only reason why this case exists is because Congress did not do its job. And then President Obama had no choice but to act in the limited capacity that he could under the law. He acted within his legal authorities, something I'm confident the Court will affirm, and he acted because it would have been inhumane not to do anything while families were being torn apart by our broken immigration policies and this Congress' failure to act.

“The Democratic-controlled Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill in June of 2013, and House Republicans did nothing for more than 500 days before President Obama resorted to the power of his pen. Now to authorize the Speaker to file an amicus brief opposing the President's actions rather than acting through the office known as the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group is a break from the usual procedure, a break from the usual procedure by which the House weighs in on a matter before the courts in which it may have an interest.

“In other words, this is not regular order as is so often the cry of my Republican colleagues. This is regular disorder. I am a member of that Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group. It was never brought to us. We never considered it. Mr. Speaker, we ought to oppose this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.”