Congressman Bobby Rush

Representing the 1st District of Illinois

Rush Slams Trump Family Separation Policy During Energy and Commerce Hearing

Jun 20, 2018
Press Release

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) slammed the Trump Administration’s cruel and inhumane family separation policy in his opening statement at the Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on “The Benefits of Tax Reform on the Energy Sector and Consumers.”  Below are Rush’s remarks as prepared for delivery: 

“Mr. Chairman, tax reform is an interesting topic for an Energy Subcommittee hearing, considering we do not have jurisdiction over tax policy.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, I cannot sit here as if this is business as usual when we have a tragedy taking place as we speak at our southern border.

“If we are going to deviate in this hearing from issues actually related to our jurisdiction, then I believe this time would be better served speaking up and speaking out against the Trump Administration’s mean-spirited, racist, and immoral new policy of separating immigrant children from their parents. 

“Mr. Chairman, this new policy is a blatant attempt to use these innocent young children as pawns in the President’s sick and twisted political game for getting what he wants in regards to immigration policy. 

“The fact of the matter is that Republicans control every branch of the government and they should be able to govern and enact policy that reflects their core values. 

“Ripping young children away from their parents in order to exhort money for a wall is both evil and inhumane and, it is about time that Members of the Republican Party stand up to the entitled blowhard currently occupying the White House.

“The silence by so many Republican Members of Congress, in light of so many misguided, asinine, and un-American decisions by this Administration is both shameful and telling. 

“The fact of the matter is that either my Republican colleagues endorse and agree with this policy of separating families at the border for political gain. 

“Or they have decided that their political futures are more important than the character and reputation of our great nation. 

“Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Pallone and I, along with many of our Democratic colleagues, will be sending Chairman Walden and Health Subcommittee Chairman Burgess, a letter later today requesting a hearing as soon as possible to address this issue.

“We need to examine how many of these children have been forcibly separated from their parents and forced into custody of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Settlement.

“We also need to examine what type of damage and severe trauma these children are being subjected to, stemming from this sinister and cynical policy of snatching them from their parents and rounding them up into cages at such an early age.

“As the Irish philosopher and father of modern conservatism once stated: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

“Mr. Chairman, we are at a pivotal time in our history and we can no longer afford for good men to sit back, shake their heads, and whisper about wrongdoing privately behind the scenes. 

“No, now is the time for Congress to grow a spine and reclaim our Constitutional duty as an equal and separate branch of government ready and able to serve as a check to a President who has seemingly gone mad. 

“Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

“Mr. Chairman, if not now, when, if not us, then who will speak out against evil?

“I can assure you that this will not be the last time this issue comes up during business before this Subcommittee and I urge all of my Republican colleagues to finally make their voices heard so we can truly represent the will and spirit of the American people.

“As Alexander de Tocqueville once observed: “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and with that I yield back the balance of my time.”

Issues: 
Energy, Immigration