Lack of Will

angie123 · 08-04-2010, 01:14 PM

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/illeg...1218472&page=2
"We continue to hear the exact same thing we have been hearing for 10 years," said Nicolas Gonzalez of Chicago, who participated in the sit-in, in a statement. "Will Senator Reid put DREAM Act up for a vote or will he decide to lose the Latino vote?"

On the West Lawn of the Capitol Wednesday, one of the three released students who identified himself only as "David," said he sat in California Democrat Sen. Diane Feinstein's office to urge her to take a leadership role in getting the Dream Act passed.

"She supports the bill, but they have to stop playing the blame game and pointing fingers," he said. "We tell them we're targeting Republicans and Democrats. There can be no more excuses."

Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which supports the students, said the the DREAM Act likely has the votes to pass but that members of the Senate leadership "just don't have the will power to get this done."

The DREAM Act, which has some bipartisan support, would allow immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to earn legal status provided they pass background checks, attend college or serve in the military for at least two years.

It is a piece of immigration reform legislation considered to have the best chance of receiving Senate consideration this year, but it's still unclear whether it has the 60 votes to pass.

Senate Democrats Open to Standalone DREAM Act

The DREAM Act currently has 40 cosponsors in the Senate, including one Republican, Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana. Several Republicans, such as Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, have expressed support for the bill even though they are not sponsors.

"Sen. Lugar has said we are not going to do comprehensive reform this year – it's just not in the cards," said Lugar spokesman Andy Fisher. "But there are three pieces of legislation he feels could move this year if the leadership brings them up, and one of those is the Dream Act."

Spokespersons for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin, the chief sponsor of the DREAM Act, were more circumspect about the bill's chances, but remain hopeful.

dtrt09 · 02:13 PM

DREAM has the votes to pass. Democratic leadership is playing the immigrant (aka, "Hispanic" vote) and sacrificing the progess of millions in the meantime. They are withholding the vote in bad faith as there's no guarantee that they will bring it up later.

In other news, the House may cut their recess short and this is our opportunity to fight back and attach DREAM to another must-pass legislation. See link below:

House May Cut Recess Short to Move $26 Billion State Package:

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign...te-aid-package

angie123 · 08-04-2010, 02:25 PM

Defense Authorization is a must passed bill for many so we should continue asking Durbin to attach it but the pressure must be kept on the key senators all together

bc Durbin wont attach it to anything unless Feinstein and Reid are on board

and for Feinstein to be on board, we need AgJobs, unless she changes her mind

some defense-spending bills have passed but not defense authorization that must pass by Oct 11

dreamality · 08-04-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angie123

Here's the script for getting it attached as amendment:

Dear Senator (Reid, Durbin, Feinstein, etc):
I am writing to you to express the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). The DREAM Act was introduced in the Senate and House on March 26 as S.729 and H.R.1751 respectively.

The DREAM Act is a bipartisan proposal, which would create a pathway to citizenship for thousands of young students who were brought to the United States years ago as children. These children have grown up in our communities and include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers.

Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities. Our immigration law currently has no mechanism to consider the special equities and circumstances of such students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw.

By enacting the DREAM Act, Congress would legally recognize what is de facto true: these young people belong here. If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future, and some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know. This tragedy will cause America to lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.

A more educated workforce which contributes to our tax base is precisely the economic stimulus we need in these hard times.

I urge you to step up on passing the DREAM Act by attaching the DREAM Act as an amendment to National Defense Authorization Act FY2011 (H.R. 5136) and moving it to the Senate floor for voting ASAP!

Sincerely,

your name

to what address do you send this??
please be more specific!

angie123 · 08-04-2010, 09:38 PM

Sign petition here: http://www.change.org/petitions/view...scal_year_2011

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Lack of Will