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Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, if Congress does not assert its constitutional authority, we risk becoming obsolete in the eyes of an Executive that would prefer to legislate with a phone and a pen as a replacement for this body.
Thank you to all my colleagues who join me this evening, and may God bless America.
Every day, before Members of Congress meet to conduct official business, we gather to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. We place our right hand over our hearts and promise to our colleagues, our constituents, and all Americans that we will uphold the rule of law.
This very law is the very vehicle that has ensured liberty and justice for all even being a possibility: the rule of law. Unfortunately, this administration seems intent on operating outside the rule of law. It insists upon circumventing Congress by changing laws and legislating from the Oval Office, not from Capitol Hill.
Time and again, the American people have had to bear witness to the blatant disrespect this administration has for our Constitution. In my heart, I believe this disrespect is on full display in the embattled fight Congress and the American people find themselves in today with the executive branch at the Supreme Court.
This morning, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the United States v. Texas case, including 25 other States. To some, this case is simply an argument over whether or not you are pro-illegal immigration. Let me repeat that. You are pro-illegal immigration or not. To others, this case is about keeping families together. To many, like myself, it is about protecting the dignity of our Constitution and the balance of powers within the three branches of government.
The United States v. Texas is about the rule of law and defending the integrity of our great institution of government. We are a constitutional Republic. And yet, the President's mass deferred action on deportation of individuals residing within our country illegally would make it seem more like we are living in a dictatorship.
The Constitution is clear on the issues of legislation. Article I, section 1 explicitly states: ``All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.''
Let that sink in for a moment. ``All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.''
Article I, section 8, clause 4: ``to establish a uniform rule of naturalization.'' That is solely the responsibility of this body. Take notice of the absence of any reference to the executive office, executive branch, or judicial branch.
Article II, section 3, however, states that the President ``shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.'' It is referred to as the Take Care Clause. That the laws be faithfully executed, not established, not rewritten, not selectively enforce portions of law, but to take care that the laws are faithfully executed.
That power is still delegated to Congress just as it was over two centuries ago.
If the Supreme Court upholds the administrative executive action, I fear that our Republic--that is the United States--will die. We will see an end of a Nation that started by fending off tyranny. We will see the end of a Nation which has withstood a civil war, two world wars, and countless terrorist attacks.
Terrorists hate the United States simply because of the manner through which we have prospered under the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
Again, the success of our Nation is because we are a land and a Nation of laws. I urge all of my colleagues in the House and the Senate to not falter in their defense of the founding principles upon which this great Nation was built.
Interesting, today, at the Supreme Court, I was there to speak on these very topics. Many pro-illegal immigrants were present, and I found it very interesting they were shouting, demonstrating, exercising freedom of speech, freedom of speech and demonstrating in America, simply because we have a Constitution that protects that.
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Mr. YOHO. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
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Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague from Iowa for such great remarks and your passion and your leadership. It was great to see you in front of the Supreme Court today speaking passionately about this issue.
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Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague from the great State of South Carolina for those--I mean, those are great numbers that really illustrate the significance and the large amount of numbers that we are dealing with.
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Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague for such wise words of wisdom.
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Mr. YOHO. Words spoken so true, and I appreciate that. The Constitution and the sovereignty of this Nation is what is at stake here, along with the institution itself.
Hice from the State of Georgia.
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Mr. YOHO. I would like to thank my colleague from Georgia for participating.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, our institution of law is threatened more today than ever before. All evil or tyranny needs to succeed or for a constitutional republic to fail is for good men and women to be complacent and do nothing.
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