Washington D.C.- On August 2, Democrats fixed a House vote in order to overturn a motion that would prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving federal housing funds. The House voted 215 to 213 to deny housing and employment to illegal immigrants on the annual agriculture spending bill. The votes were counted, but the Speaker closed the vote with his gavel. The Democrats then unilaterally and imperially overturned this result—defying 218 years of precedent. The Speaker reopened the vote to ensure that the motion was then defeated by a vote of 212 to 216, disenfranchising the American people and paving the way for illegal immigrants to receive federal housing and employment benefits.
Today, several RSC leaders issued statements in response:
RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX):
“Never has the radical agenda of the Democrat party been more on display than it has been in this week. Earlier this week, Democrats took the unprecedented move of cutting Medicare, cutting Medicare Advantage to millions of seniors, raiding the Medicare trust fund, and placing a tax on every single non-government health insurance policy in America in order to give government health care benefits to illegal immigrants.
“I did not believe those actions could be topped until I witnessed Democrats’ behavior on the floor last night. Breaking over 200 years of precedent, after a vote had ended on the floor the radical leadership of the Democrat party overturned that vote in order to again give more government benefits to illegal immigrants, in this case, federal housing and employment benefits. Rarely has the radical agenda of this Democrat majority been more on display.
“The American people have the right to be outraged over the conduct that they saw- to use their hard earned taxpayer money that they need for the health care of their family, that they need for the housing of their family, that instead is being given to illegal immigrants. And to reverse a vote on the House floor after it had been concluded is unprecedented in the entire history of America. The American people will know about this. They will be outraged and their voice will be heard.”
Former RSC Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN):
“I consider my ability to vote on the floor of the House of Representatives to be a privilege and a duty that I approach with great reflection and forethought. Last night, the Republican minority in the Congress won a great victory for the American people, denying welfare benefits to illegal immigrants in the Agriculture Appropriations bill.
“After Republicans prevailed, and after the gavel fell, the Democratic majority reopened the vote to ensure that illegal immigrants would be entitled to welfare benefits under this bill. Along with my Republican colleagues, I walked out on behalf of the overwhelming majority of the American people who do not want illegal immigrants to receive welfare benefits.
“The vote to deny illegal immigrants access to welfare benefits must stand. The American people deserve nothing less.”
Congressman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN):
“Late Thursday night the Liberal Leadership of this Congress dictated to the American people that it is more important to pay and shelter illegal immigrants with taxpayer money than it is for the Voice of the People to be heard. They have now made their priorities known by rigging the vote that placed Federal benefits to illegal immigrants above the needs of the American taxpayer.
“Their action was a historic and unprecedented stand against our system of representative democracy that puts American freedom and national security at risk.”
Congressman John Campbell (R-CA):
“Last night’s walk-out didn’t happen just because of this one vote. The Democrat’s agenda is so liberal and so out of touch with the American people, that all year they have not permitted debate or objections on legislation because they don’t want the American people to see what they’re doing. Nancy Pelosi believes that the politics of San Francisco and America are the same. They are not.”
Congressman Tom Price (R-GA):
“The tactics employed by this Democrat leadership were shameful, and a disservice to representative government and the American people. Changing the outcome of a vote to give benefits to illegal aliens is not only unacceptable, it is wrong.
“When the iron fist of the majority can dictate an outcome, in spite of an actual vote, this institution is rendered irrelevant. Last night, millions of Americans went without a voice in the House of Representatives. Our Founding Fathers expressed grave concerns about the tyranny of the majority. Regretfully, this tyranny is close to a sad reality.”
(####)
|
