Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) schooled Republicans on the need to pass bipartisan legislation in order to solve the issues at the southern border.
In a House floor speech on Friday during a debate on border security and immigration policy, Suozzi noted that even if Republicans win back the White House in 2024, the caucus will still need to negotiate with Democrats to pass an immigration bill.
Previously, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers tried to pass a comprehensive border security bill earlier this year, but the legislation died after former President Donald Trump demanded GOP lawmakers vote against it.
The New York Democrat scolded Republicans for campaigning “on the chaos” by refusing to give Biden a legislative victory during an election year. “Mr. Roy, the histrionics and the hyperbole are not working,” Suozzi said, addressing Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) who yelled in return and was eventually called to order.
Suozzi continued:
So they said, we don’t want to go forward with that bill because we want to campaign on the chaos. We don’t want to give a victory to the Democrats. It’s not a victory for Biden or for the Democrats, for the United States of America, and for us to move forward as a country. We have got to work together. I see the people up here in the gallery today. People watch television, they read the newspaper, and they’re sick of this. They don’
t want us fighting with each other. They don’t want us with the histrionics and the hyperbole. They want us to sit down and negotiate a settlement. H.R. two was tried before.It didn’t work. Let’s say you get everything you want. Let’s say Trump gets elected. Let’s say that you win the house. You win the Senate. I don’t want that to happen, obviously, but let’s say you get everything you want. You won’t get enough votes in the Senate. You’ll still have to negotiate a bipartisan compromise. People have got to learn to get back to the basics of legislating and negotiating and working together to solve the problems that the people of America demand that we solve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back.
Watch the clip above via CSPAN.