June 25, 2014, 01:03 pm

Gutierrez: House GOP gets 'red card' for no immigration bill

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/210542-gutierrez-house-gop-gets-red-card-for-no-immigration-bill#ixzz374lfxzU4
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Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) becamse a World Cup referee on the House floor Wednesday to penalize Republicans for not moving immigration reform.

"With the nation gripped by World Cup fever, let me give you a visual representation of my message for the last three months," said Gutierrez, who along with other Democrats saw the last window of opportunity for an immigration bill closing by the July 4 recess.

"I gave Republicans a yellow card to put them on warning that they must act on immigration -and if they failed to act – they would be out of the game," Gutierrez said, holding up a yellow card. 

"I gave you the warning three months ago and now I have no other choice," Gutierrez said. 

Holding up a red card, he said, "You’re done. Leave the field. Too many flagrant offenses and unfair attacks and too little action while you run out the clock. You are out. Hit the showers. I’m giving you the red card."

Gutierrez warned that Republicans would pay the consequences of inaction on immigration at the polls in 2016.

"The Republican presidential nominee, whoever he may be, will enter the race with an Electoral College deficit he cannot make up," Gutierrez said. "Republicans in the House simply have no answer when it comes to immigration reform and Republicans have failed America and failed themselves."

Gutierrez urged the Obama administration to use executive orders to make changes to the immigration system in the absence of legislation from Congress.

"It is now up to the president to act," Gutierrez said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/210542-gutierrez-house-gop-gets-red-card-for-no-immigration-bill#ixzz374lch3jT
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