After Failed Defense Bill Vote, DREAM Act Finds Its Way Back

Feenmi · 09-24-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

The DREAM Act was dealt a blow this week, but it’s already back for more. On Wednesday, the day after the defense authorization bill failed to clear a motion for cloture in the U.S. Senate and stalled efforts to attach the immigration bill and a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal as amendments, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin reintroduced the DREAM Act.

The move clears the way for the bill, which would offer undocumented youth raised in the U.S. an opportunity to gain citizenship if they commit to two years in the military or college. In order to qualify for the DREAM Act, young people must have been brought to the U.S. before the age of 16, have lived in the country for at least five years, hold a high school diploma and have a clean criminal record. The bill would benefit almost a million young people, by some estimates.

Durbin’s latest move clears the way for the DREAM Act to be reintroduced as a stand alone bill, bypassing the judiciary committee. Durbin introduced the bill with Republican Sen. Richard Lugar. DREAM Act advocates have confirmed that the bill was added onto the Senate’s legislative calendar on Thursday but without a firm date attached to it. However, while they don’t foresee that the bill will be acted on before the November midterm elections, there’s still a small window during the lame duck session between November and January.

Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez has said that should the bill clear the Senate, he’s confident it would pass the House. “I believe there are at least 218 votes in the House to pass the DREAM Act,” Gutierrez wrote this week, urging Senate Republicans not to stall on the defense authorization bill. Should the DREAM Act actually get pushed as a stand alone bill, Republicans are already ready to water the bill down and attach amendments to it. This is not new though. In 2007 when the DREAM Act was also being discussed, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson wanted to change the language of the bill so that instead of giving DREAM Act-eligible young people green cards, they would receive renewable work permits before being able to qualify for citizenship. In the past Republicans also have called to bring down the age cap on the DREAM Act, which would limit the number of young people who could benefit from the bill.

There is still another option for the bill. After the cloture motion failed on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to immediately reconsider the vote, leaving open the possibility that he will take up the issue again after the election. The hope is that moderate Republicans unencumbered by the elections will be more willing to break away from the immigration hawks of their party to vote for the bill.

DREAM Act activists plan to keep pushing for DREAM Act support from Sens. Scott Brown, George LeMieux and Susan Collins, who said during the Senate floor debate on Tuesday that they would support the DREAM Act as a stand alone bill. “What we know is, is that they are potential votes,” said Matias Ramos, a DREAM Act activist and board member for the group United We Dream. Ramos called their remarks “a silver lining” from the failed Tuesday vote.

Either way, DREAM Act advocates who have been strategically increasing public pressure on congressional leaders with intense lobbying, hunger strikes and civil disobedience all year, have no plans to back off. They are planning another escalation right after the elections are over.

“We’re going to be ready to push, and push hard,” said Ramos.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/..._way_back.html

kenny1314 · 12:24 PM

reintroduce by judiciary committee? but how long? as i know Dream Act was reintroduced by judiciary committee on 3/2009, but vote on 10/2010. it is almost a year to waiting, but failed again. i don't want to let my hope up again and wait another 2 years but nothing is complete.

DREAMactASAP · 09-24-2010, 12:24 PM

That's simply because nothing was done on it. Red could have brought it up anytime he wanted to in those 2 years but they though immigration reform would come first.

MiGSTeR · 09-24-2010, 12:24 PM

That's A Little Good News .

Kraze101 · 09-24-2010, 12:28 PM

I believe the article states by Durbin reintroducing the Dream Act of 2010, he is able to bypass the Judiciary Committee. At this point, seems like the majority leader can put it up for vote whenever. I'm sure Republicans will filibuster it though so they probably want to wait until after elections to get some retiring/leaving Republican votes.

What I'm afraid of right now is that some Republicans will be sworn in to the senate right away instead of in January. That means less democrat votes and more Republican support needed during lame duck session.

Feenmi · 09-24-2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny1314

reintroduce by judiciary committee? but how long? as i know Dream Act was reintroduced by judiciary committee on 3/2009, but vote on 10/2010. it is almost a year to waiting, but failed again. i don't want to let my hope up again and wait another 2 years but nothing is complete.

It says "bypassing the judiciary committee", meaning it's ready to be voted on. Senator Reid has to bring it up. So, call call call, children!

greentea · 09-24-2010, 12:29 PM

This is like playing a board game.. we almost get to the end, but we end up in that block that sends us 8 steps back lol..

kenny1314 · 09-24-2010, 12:40 PM

i am so sad, because every time we wait and fight for our Dream, and it always disappoint us.

ECL23 · 09-24-2010, 12:51 PM

C'mon people, haven't we learned our lessons about politics? They say a lot of mumbo jumbo but no action. Like I always say, "Actions speak louder than words".

I'm not going to put my hopes high but I will be watching out for it, and maybe doing a few calls to Reid.

I always wondered how reputable Colorlines really are.

hgr1915 · 09-24-2010, 12:59 PM

Good News, Right?

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After Failed Defense Bill Vote, DREAM Act Finds Its Way Back