House Rebukes Obama on Immigration

Emboldened House Republicans issued a stern but symbolic rebuke to President Barack Obama over immigration Thursday, passing a bill declaring his executive actions to curb deportations “null and void and without legal effect.”

Even supporters acknowledged that the bill by Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), which says Obama was acting “without any constitutional or statutory basis,” was mostly meant to send a message. It stands no chance in the Senate, which remains under Democratic control until January, and faces the veto threat from Obama.

The real fight may lie ahead as conservatives push to use must-pass spending legislation to block Obama.

For now, Republicans insisted they must go on record denouncing what they described on the House floor as an outrageous power grab by Obama.

“The president thinks he can just sit in the Oval Office and make up his own laws. That’s not the way our system of government works,” said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.). “This legislation says you can’t do that, Mr. President. There is a rule of law.”

The current government-funding measure expires Dec. 11 so a new one must pass by then.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the December 5th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.