Dave Brat

Mr. BRAT

Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, on November 4, the American people spoke loudly and clearly on illegal immigration and President Obama's repeated overreaches of his authority. Yet within weeks of the election, the President tried to singlehandedly rewrite America's immigration laws by granting amnesty by executive decree to 5 million illegal aliens already in this country. It was a move that he previously said he had no constitutional authority to execute. He also acknowledged that only Congress could rewrite the laws. But he did it anyway. In response, the House took a firm stand last month to pass a bill to stop the President's illegal and unconstitutional decree that grants amnesty, work permits, and Federal benefits to illegal aliens. The bill fully funds the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the year, but it also prohibits the Department from carrying out the President's illegal act. Let me repeat that last line. This bill fully funds the Department of Homeland Security. It just says that in order to get that funding, the Department cannot break the law. That is just common sense. The American people don't want the Federal Government breaking the law, and it is up to Congress to make sure that no Federal funds are used illegally. Yet today, Senate Democrats are currently united in opposing this bill. Recent polling shows that Americans overwhelmingly oppose the President's executive immigrations actions 58 to 36. I call on my Senate colleagues to support the Constitution and the rule of law and pass H.R. 240 as it was passed in the House. The President's amnesty scheme is not only illegal, it is patently unconstitutional. It creates a dangerous precedent where future Presidents can ignore laws they don't agree with and expand their own power beyond its legal boundaries, threatening the very liberty of the American people. Our constitutionally guaranteed liberties, our rule of law and economic opportunities are precisely the things that immigrants come to America to experience. Our Constitution, rule of law, and economic prosperity are precisely the things that we will be giving up if we allow the President to break our laws to give amnesty and work permits to those who are here illegally.

Mr. BRAT

Mr. BRAT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of repeal. ObamaCare came with many promises, but the American people are finally getting the bill in the mail, and they don't like what they see. We were promised lower costs, but we have seen most premiums and deductibles only skyrocket. Almost nine out of 10 people who buy insurance on the ObamaCare exchange need a government subsidy just to afford it. Mr. Speaker, as I have traveled my district, I have talked with countless small business owners who think of their employees like family, and they already provide health care coverage for their fine workers; but now that ObamaCare is forcing them to buy more expensive insurance, many are having to lay off their own employees or convert them to part time to avoid these skyrocketing costs. At a time when we should be growing the economy, ObamaCare is forcing businesses to lay off people, cut their hours, and cut off their health care coverage. Health care in America certainly had problems before this law, but ObamaCare has been a cure worse than the disease.

Mr. BRAT

Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 41, I was present on the House Floor and attempted to vote ``YES'' via my electronic voting card. However, it has been brought to my attention that my vote was not recorded. Had I been present, I would have voted YES.

Mr. BRAT

Mr. BRAT. Mr. Speaker, thank you to my new colleagues and thank you to the people of Virginia's Seventh District who have entrusted me with the honor of serving as their Representative, and many of them are with us tonight in the gallery. Thank you for coming. We are proud that the Seventh District is the home of the father of the Constitution, James Madison, and the voice of the Revolution, Patrick Henry. It has been a long road, and very few gave me a chance when the journey began. I want to thank my wife, Laura, and my children, Jonathan and Sophia, for believing in me. And I want to thank God, as this would not have been possible without His assistance along the way. Throughout my campaign, as President Reagan said, I tried to appeal to people's best hopes and not their worst fears. I strived to elevate the dialogue and focus us on solutions, especially on the economic issues facing our country. That is how I will approach the weighty responsibility with which I have been entrusted. Thank you all, God bless you all, and may God continue to bless this great Nation.