Bill Pascrell: “I just want to report to the other side that you are already on retreat. As a party, you have retreated from our solemn…”

“I just want to report to the other side that you are already on retreat. As a party, you have retreated from our solemn oaths, camouflaged by pious, empty, pyrrhic acclamations of patriotism and liberty. These are not stick people you are talking about. These are real people. They are not despots. They are not moneychangers. They are not felons. They are human equals to you and me. You have a bumper sticker mentality without the bumper. For years and years, all we heard is ``read the bill.'' Well, we have read the bill and, in fact, I helped write the ACA. I am proud of that. There is nothing in the ACA or the President's executive order that treats people who have temporary status under DACA differently than U.S. citizens for the purposes of triggering the employer mandate. The whole purpose of this amendment is to play into fears that, by allowing immigrants to come out of the shadows and work legally and pay taxes, you are undermining American workers. That is a lie. Admit it. Nothing in this ACA incentivizes employers to hire undocumented immigrants over American citizens. In fact, just the opposite, as you heard the speaker before me. Specifically, it prohibits employers from firing a citizen employee because they receive a premium tax credit. Read the bill.…”