Stop Obama's Executive Amnesty

Floor Speech

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Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I was thinking about the situation we are in, and it
came to my mind that there is a reason that the legislature is supposed
to make the laws. There is a reason that we have a debate and that we
discuss all of the different facets, because what also came to mind is
the fact that the folks who have been legalized by the President's
unconstitutional action will now get a Social Security number. With
that, it will allow them to qualify for the earned income tax credit.
As well, many will qualify for the child tax credit. Now, the IRS Code,
Mr. Speaker, allows taxes to be amended back 3 years, and these folks
who have just now received their Social Security numbers will be able
to receive this payment retroactively.

I ask you, Mr. Speaker: Where is the fairness in that? I mean, what
is fair about an illegal amnesty bonus? a bonus for breaking the law?
What is fair about an immigrant's standing in line, coming here
legally, wading through the process, only to watch somebody come right
around him into this Nation, getting a Social Security number and, not
only that, getting paid for doing that?

What is fair about hardworking, tax-paying Americans knowing that
they can't get a break on their taxes because that money has got to go
to somebody who came here expressly to break the law? What is fair
about all of the children of all of these hardworking, tax-paying
Americans being saddled with debt for the rest of their futures and
their children's futures and those of their children's children for the
sake of an illegal amnesty bonus? It is a bonus for breaking the law.
What is fair about that, Mr. Speaker?

Now it is in the Senate, and the Senate is saying: Well, maybe the
House should send another bill. The House sent a bill. It is the will
of the House. It is the Senate's turn. With all due respect, if you
don't want to vote for the bill, we get that. Vote ``no.'' You can
explain that to your constituents--you can explain that to your
voters--but it is more important to you to pay somebody a bonus for
coming here illegally. You can explain that.

The point is that they don't even want to have the vote. They are
making sure there will be no vote. We are saying give this bill its
chance; give it its day. If you have got a better idea, if you have got
a different idea, that is great. That is wonderful. Let's see it. Pass
your bill and send it over, and we will work together to pass something
along.

I would say this to the leader of the Senate: It is time you make the
rules, Mr. Leader. If now is not the time to change those rules in
favor of the Constitution, when is the time? Instead of being concerned
about 40-some years of tradition and of the way we run the Senate--
instead of being concerned about that--how about being concerned about
hundreds of years in favor of the Constitution? When President Obama
didn't like the rule, apparently, even though he said 20 times or so
that he had to abide by the Constitution, he just changed it. He just
disregarded it.

And when Harry Reid didn't like the rule--a couple hundreds years of
votes in cloture and the nuclear rule in the Senate--he just changed
it. Right?

We are not asking to change it all the time, but when it comes down
to a constitutional crisis, when it comes down to a division of powers,
do you want to stand up for a bonus for acting illegally, for breaking
the law, or do you want to stand up for the Constitution?

If that is not the time to change the rules for the President's
unconstitutional executive action, if that is not the time to change
the rules, Mr. McConnell, when is the time? The time is now.

Pass a bill. Whatever your bill is, have a vote, ``yes'' or ``no,''
send it to the House, and we will work it out. This legislation, this
issue demands your attention. It demands a vote. It deserves a vote.
The American people need to know. They deserve to know where their
elected representatives in the Senate stand, not to just not vote on
anything. They didn't send them there to just not vote. They sent them
there to make a decision, ``yes'' or ``no.''

We get it. If you want to vote ``no,'' good for you. You explain
that. If you want to vote ``yes,'' great. But have the vote. There is
no reason to not change the rule if it gets us to a vote and upholds
the Constitution. As a matter of fact, if it takes changing the rules
to uphold the Constitution, this is one Representative of the Fourth
District of Pennsylvania who thinks it is worth it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, again, I ask you: What is fair? What is fair
about giving these bonuses to people who just received a Social
Security card and who have been operating outside of the law for years?
They receive their Social Security Card and they get a bonus.

You try that. Having worked here as a person who was born in this
country, you try to work under the table and then just apply and see if you will get a bonus from the IRS. Let me tell you what you get, Mr. Speaker.
You will get a visit from the IRS, but it won't be for a bonus.

Think about fairness, Mr. Leader in the Senate. Change the rules.
Let's move this bill forward.

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