Providing for Consideration of H.R. Ada Education and Reform Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protecting Consumers' Access to Credit Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Trid Improvement Act of and Providing for Proceedings During the Period From February Through February 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, again, I stand on this floor to speak about the Dreamers, and this time I ask a simple question: What happened?

For months here in Washington, we couldn't pass a budget; we refused to pass a budget. Numerous continuing resolutions were brought up. We even shut down government, and the press talked about the Dreamers. It was all about the Dreamers.

Yet, last week, after the budget spending caps were raised for both military and nonmilitary expenditures, we got a budget, and that was a budget that was voted on by both Democrats and Republicans. So, I guess, ladies and gentlemen, this was not about the Dreamers because we still don't have a fix for the Dreamers.

Yet 80 percent of our public supports a fix for the Dreamers; 80 percent of our public supports a pathway to citizenship for our Dreamers; and even our President wants a fix for the Dreamers.

Why? Because all of us recognize that Dreamers are soldiers, teachers, police officers. They are, effectively, our friends and our neighbors. Yet here we are again today, not sure of the future for Dreamers in this country.

Folks, it is time to stop using Dreamers as political pawns in a bigger political chess game.

Last week, at the State of the Union, my guest was a Dreamer from my district. She is a college student majoring in chemistry, and I say to all of you, she is going to make a tremendous scientist. We need scientists in this country.

As you know, America is a land of immigrants, and all of us here are immigrants, and, as you know, 75 of our Fortune 500 companies are led by immigrants. We need more hardworking immigrants.

That is what Dreamers are. They are hardworking. They study hard, pay their taxes, follow the law, and, yes, ladies and gentlemen, Dreamers have been vetted. Let me repeat: Dreamers are immigrants who have been vetted. And yet today we still ask: What is going to happen to Dreamers?

Mr. Speaker, let's not live with any regrets. Let's not look back tomorrow, next year, 10, 20 years from now and say what we could have, should have, would have. Let's do the right thing, Mr. Speaker. Now is the time to act. Let's vote for our Dreamers. Let's vote on H.R. 3440, and let's do the right thing.

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