[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO BAN MUSLIMS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
(Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, the executive order is patently and
clearly unconstitutional. An executive order to ban Muslims is
unconstitutional.
None of us stand against the stringent review of individuals to
determine who would come to do well, but who would come to do harm. A
ban or a temporary suspension of all of the refugees around the world
who have been vetted over and over again is clearly discriminatory.
It is true that the Constitution of the United States starts with:
``We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defence . . .'' and ``welfare. . . .''
Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates made the right decision. Many
court jurisdictions have already said that this is an unconstitutional
and discriminatory order. The office of a public servant in the United
States Federal Government requires that you take an oath to defend and
protect the Constitution of the United States. I believe the President
should uphold his oath.
Request to Call Up H.R. 724, SOLVE Act, and H.R. 735, USA Values Act
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, today I join with the resolve of the
Deputy Attorney General, and I ask unanimous consent for the SOLVE Act,
and ask unanimous consent for H.R. 724 and H.R. 735, the USA Values
Act, all dealing with banning and repealing and rescinding, now, the
unconstitutional executive order on banning Muslims.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Collins of New York). Any such unanimous
consent request has not been cleared.
The gentlewoman's time has expired.
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