President Barack Obama speaks at the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center in Arlington, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Obama renewed his call for Congress to pass cybersecurity legislation, including a proposal that encourages companies to share threat information with the government and protects them from potential lawsuits if they do. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) 
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann speaks to his supporters after winning the race for the 3rd Congressional District in this file photo.
Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., speaks to supporters after he was declared the winner of Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District Republican primary race Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, in South Pittsburg, Tenn.Tennessee and Georgia Republicans on Wednesday praised the passage of a bill that would defund what they called called an “unconstitutional” series of moves by President Barack Obama to ease restrictions on immigrants who are not in the country legally.
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 240 this morning by a vote of 236 to 191. It must still pass the Senate and survive the President’s veto pen to become law.
U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn. called Obama’s move to legalize the immigration status of many undocumented workers “unconstitutional” and “unlawful,” while blasting what the he sees as a contradiction in Obama’s stance.
Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., also called Obama’s actions unlawful.
“For too long the president has ignored the Constitution and violated our separation of powers,” DesJarlais said. “Today, the House reasserts its power of the purse by cutting off funds for President Obama’s unconstitutional actions.”