Rep. Gosar Votes "Present" On Immigration/Executive Action Bill, Joins Hardliners Steve King, Raul Labrador In Worrying That It Was Move To "Pacify" Right Wing

Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar (R-CD4) bucked the prevailing House GOP position and voted "present" this afternoon on the GOP response to President Obama's executive action on immigration.  The measure passed the House 219-197. He worried that it was designed to pacify hardliners.

The rest of Arizona's delegation voted along party lines.  Only seven Republicans opposed the simple resolution (see, below) and only three Democrats voted in favor.

Gosar, Iowa Rep. Steve King, and Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador cast "present" votes, and 15 members did not vote.

Gosar was quoted by Roll Call as saying after the vote: “I believe in the principle; I also want to make sure this isn’t a cover,”

The Senate is unlikely to vote on today's measure.

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Text of H.R. 5759:
A BILL

To establish a rule of construction clarifying the limitations on executive authority to provide certain forms of immigration relief.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Executive Amnesty Prevention Act of 2014'.

SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

(a) In General- No provision of the United States Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, or other Federal law shall be interpreted or applied to authorize the executive branch of the Government to exempt, by Executive order, regulation, or any other means, categories of persons unlawfully present in the United States from removal under the immigration laws (as such term is defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). Any action by the executive branch with the purpose of circumventing the objectives of this statute shall be null and void and without legal effect.

(b) Effective Date- This Act shall have effect retroactively, and shall apply to any such exemption made at any time.

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