DACA
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yesterday, the Trump administration made a terribly wrong decision to terminate the DACA Program. The Dreamers came to this country through no fault of their own. Many know no other country but this one. They work every single day in our businesses.
They go to our schools. They serve in our military. They are a boon to our economy. All they want is to live, work, and contribute to this country like generations have done before. They want to be Americans, as so many people do, because we are such a great country.
Congress has the ability and, I believe, the responsibility to act and to protect those Dreamers before the program is completely terminated in 6 months. Why not do it right now? President Trump has called on Congress to act; so why don't we?
I would ask my friend the majority leader and Speaker Ryan to put a clean Dream Act on the floor in both Chambers in September. Every Democrat is ready to vote for that legislation. We know many Republicans in both Chambers would vote for it as well. It would likely pass without much fuss. But if we can't get that to happen, we will add it to vehicles that are moving--legislative vehicles--until we get it done. It is that important to us and to America. We could solve this problem tomorrow, rather than letting the fear of deportation hang over the heads of 800,000 Dreamers, who are studying and working, and some are in the military serving in the United States today.
So I would like, again, to say to Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan: Put a clean Dream Act on the floor in a bipartisan vote. This body-- and, I believe, the House--is ready to pass it.
In a short time, Leader McConnell, Speaker Ryan, Leader Pelosi, and I will head to the White House to meet with President Trump. We have a lot we need to get done this month: an extension of government funding, raising the debt ceiling, passing aid for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, and protecting the Dreamers. So far, we Democrats haven't heard much in the way of a plan to accomplish all these goals from the Republican leadership, who hold the majority in both Houses of Congress, as well as the President's seat. I hope that this changes this morning. I look forward to hearing the President's plan and the Republican majority's plan for accomplishing all these things that Congress must accomplish in September.
I yield the floor.
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