On the recordDecember 13, 2014
the junior Senator from Texas raises a point of order attacking the pending legislation on the grounds that the President has acted unconstitutionally. The junior Senator from Texas is wrong, wrong, wrong on several counts. But most importantly for us this evening, it is an attack on this bill because this is not an appropriate place to debate the constitutionality of any executive branch action. Under the precedents of the Senate, the Senate determines whether it is constitutional to consider the legislation before it. The House of Representatives passed this legislation before us in an exercise of its powers under article I of the United States Constitution. This bill has, thus, originated in the House within the meaning of the origination clause of the Constitution. Voting on this measure is no different from thousands of other measures on which the Senate has voted. The Constitution objection is completely--completely--without merit and should be rejected. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Who yields time?
