WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Billy Long issued the following statement after the House passed the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act (H.R. 5759) in response to President Obama’s decision to take unilateral action on immigration:

            “The American people want their government to work together, but President Obama has shown by his recent unilateral action on immigration he did not get the message.  The president cannot simply create a law.  If the president truly believes a change in existing law or a new law is needed, he is required by the Constitution to work with both Houses of Congress.  He does not have the authority to take this action on his own, and that why I support this legislation.  For all those who want to see the Constitution respected and adhered to, that is what this legislation does. It preserves the legislative powers of Congress and is the first step in the House’s efforts to rein in the president and his reckless unilateral action.  I am looking forward to 2015 when the House will have a partner in the Senate and more action can be taken to rein in this over-reaching executive. ”    

            Long is an original cosponsor of the Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act.  This legislation states that the Executive Branch does not have the authority to exempt categories of persons unlawfully present in the U.S. from deportation laws. It also makes clear that any executive action seeking to exempt these categories of persons is a violation of the law and thus has no legal effect. This is a permanent solution to the president’s unilateral action on immigration.  Congress is preserving Article I legislative powers with this legislation.  The effective date of this legislation is November 20, 2014, the day President Obama announced his unilateral action on immigration. 

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