[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H3845-H3846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to be 
recognized by you for this 5 minutes.
  Madam Speaker, I rise, and still I rise, because I love my country 
and because I believe that no one is above the law.
  We say that quite religiously here in this institution: No one is 
above the law.
  I have in my hand the ``Report on the Investigation into Russian 
Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.'' This document, known 
as the Mueller report, has been released to the public for some 29 days 
now.
  Since its release, we have had many persons, many of whom are Members 
of

[[Page H3846]]

this august body, say that they have concluded that the President has 
committed impeachable acts. Some have gone so far as to say that he 
should be impeached. I am one of them.
  We have also had hundreds of lawyers, many of whom are prosecutors 
and former prosecutors, say that if anyone else committed the offenses 
outlined in this document, the Mueller report, that person would be 
arrested and prosecuted. That person would be prosecuted. That person 
would not be above the law.

  Hence, since this document addresses acts by the President, since the 
President is not being prosecuted, and since the House of 
Representatives has not moved to impeach the President, one can 
conclude that the President is indeed now, for some 29 days, above the 
law.
  No one is above the law, unless you are the President.
  No one is above the law. The House of Representatives has a duty to 
enforce the law.
  The President of the United States of America, it has been said by 
constitutional scholars, by Members of this august body, and by 
lawyers--hundreds--that he is subject to the law and that he should be 
properly prosecuted.
  It is not happening.
  The prosecution of the President in the House of Representatives will 
take place once impeachment is initiated. Until impeachment is 
initiated, this President is above the law. He continues to obstruct. 
He is above the law.
  I am using this refrain because it is important for the American 
public, the people who understand that no one is above the law, to at 
least see that we have a problem. We have a President who, by most 
standards, has committed impeachable acts, yet we have not started the 
impeachment process.
  If the President is not impeached, one of two things will happen: 
one, he won't be impeached; or, two, the Congress of the United States 
of America would become a toothless paper tiger, not only as it relates 
to this President, but also as this relates to future Presidents.
  We cannot allow the perception of the Congress to be toothless when 
it comes to our constitutional responsibilities. We have a duty, a 
responsibility, and an obligation to bring the President to justice.
  The bar of justice for this President and any other President is this 
House of Representatives, and each Member of this House has the 
responsibility to make sure that justice is served.
  I will now start a process that will commence on the second 
anniversary of my initial call for the impeachment of this President, 
which will be tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the second anniversary, and I 
will start a process tomorrow of bringing to this floor a display.
  We will display the number of days since the Mueller report was 
produced and the number of days that this President has gone above the 
law because until the President is impeached, those who say that he 
should be impeached, those who say there is evidence enough to impeach, 
until this President is impeached, we who say this must conclude that 
he is above the law.
  I love my country. I stand on the law. I believe in the Constitution. 
As such, I believe that this House has a duty and a responsibility to 
take up impeachment.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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