Government of the People, By the People, and for the People
Floor Speech
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Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise.
I rise today in the name of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I rise today because our country is nearing a moment of decision. I rise because we are at the intersection of democracy and autocracy.
I rise to announce that, at this moment in time, I have filed H. Res. 537. H. Res. 537 is a privileged resolution. H. Res. 537 has been filed because I believe that the President of the United States has committed an impeachable act.
H. Res. 537 addresses abuse of Presidential powers by disregarding the separation of powers, devolving American democracy into an authoritarian--an authoritarian, an authoritarian--government, usurping congressional power to declare war.
Mr. Speaker, I take no delight in what I am doing. I do this because I love my country. I do this because I understand that the Constitution is going to be meaningful or it will be meaningless. I do it because I understand that the President of the United States of America has a duty to consult Congress before taking this country to war. I do it because no one person should have the power to take over 300 million people to war without consulting with the Congress of the United States of America.
I do this because, if I do not, this authoritarian President that we currently have will continue to assume power. He has already instigated an assault on the citadel of democracy, the Capitol of the United States of America. He went so far as to pardon the persons who were actually involved in the assault. He has denied persons due process of the law.
I believe that, if we do not take immediate action, this authoritarian President will devolve the country into authoritarianism. I believe he is a would-be dictator who would become a dictator.
I today announce that, later today, I will bring these Articles of Impeachment to the floor, and I will call for a vote. I believe that the hour of decision is upon us, and we all have to decide: Are we going to go down and choose the path of democracy, or will we allow ourselves to choose the low road of autocracy?
I believe that this country has come too far to allow a single person to declare war without conferring with the Congress of the United States of America.
This is why I stand. This is what I will do, and I do it in the name of my country that I love dearly.
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