Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I think this is a very, very sad day when we
have to make a Hobson's choice of either funding our national security
or standing for the Constitution.

We actually took an oath just a few short weeks ago to defend this
Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That is our role;
that is our responsibility. If not now, then when? It is never going to
be easy. It is never going to be easy. It has never been easy to stand
up for freedom.

I have heard some people say: Well, you Republicans, you just need to
learn how to govern. If it was just about governing, then I think that
the American people can just close shop and let the President just run
everything, but we actually have a Constitution that we have to adhere
to.

Despots all over the world, they govern. They keep the trains running
on time.

But we stand for something different. We stand for a constitutional
republic, where we have three coequal branches that all have an equal
say. The Founding Fathers gave us a tool to deal with a time just like
this. It is called the power of the purse. If we relegate that
responsibility and dropkick it to the courts, as the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. DeSantis) just said, then they have nothing else than to
assume that we just basically folded to the pressure.

I believe this is a sad day for America. I believe America deserves
better. If we are not going to fight now, when are we going to fight?

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