On the recordFebruary 5, 2015
I yield to the gentleman. Mr. McCARTHY. I thank the gentleman. We were talking about looking into the mirror. Twenty-two times the President said he did not have the power to take the action that he did. From the time he said that to the time he took that action, what changed? The Constitution did not. I will remind the gentleman, because he was at the lunch that I was at with the President. I reminded the President, after the election but prior to being sworn in, we had this discussion with him, with Senate and House leaders. The President had the opportunity, when you were majority leader, he was President, and the Democrats controlled the Senate, to deal with immigration. They did not. We asked the President: Would you even give us 1 day in the majority to deal with it? He did not. So when we look into the mirror, I will gladly look into the mirror because I think the idea should win at the end of the day. But if the Senate Democrats will not even allow you to bring the bill up to debate, I think it is very hard for your argument to stand ground. This is a time that we want to make sure Homeland Security is funded. We took the bill up early. Just as the Constitution says, the House has their position, the Senate can have theirs. It doesn't say whatever the Senate says they can and cannot do we should just follow. No, we should lead, and we have. And I look forward to solving this problem before the 27th.
