Schiff Sends DREAM Act Letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid
Washington, DC - On Thursday, December 9, Rep. Schiff sent the following letter to Senate Majority Leader Reid, requesting that he work with members of both parties to bring the DREAM Act, as passed by the House of Representatives on December 8, to a vote:
Dear Majority Leader Reid:
I respectfully request that you work with members of both parties to bring the DREAM Act, as passed by the House of Representatives on December 8th, to a vote. The DREAM Act passed the House with a bipartisan majority of 216-198.
My district has a tremendously diverse immigrant community, and it is one of the many things that makes Los Angeles such a vibrant area. However, when I visit local high schools, I frequently hear from young people who find that their path to a better life is ending before their 18th birthday through no fault of their own. They have done everything right. They worked hard, gotten good grades, and stayed out of trouble. They want to go to college or join the military to serve their community and their nation. Yet they find that they can’t do any of those things, because their parents illegally brought them to the United States. Frequently, they find out that they are not citizens only when they apply for college or a job or try to enlist in the military. For these students that came to the United States when they were just children, this is the only country they know.
The need for the DREAM Act has been recognized by a wide array of groups across the political spectrum. Among them is the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Clifford Stanley, who announced the support of the Department of Defense for the DREAM Act which will expand the pool of talented and motivated recruits. The DREAM Act is not a handout, it is a hand up. To benefit from its provisions, young people will need to work hard and serve their communities. In the end, by developing their skills and working in our community, the students who take advantage of the DREAM Act will give back far more to our economy and our security as a nation than what we give them. The investment we make by passing the DREAM Act will be repaid many times over by the jobs created and the communities that are strengthened by giving students a chance at the American Dream.
I know you share my view that the DREAM Act is an important priority. I encourage you to use all the powers available to you as Majority Leader to schedule an up or down vote on DREAM Act this year.
Sincerely,
Adam B. Schiff