Rep. Bera comments on Homeland Security Appropriations

Statement

Today, Congressman Ami Bera voted for the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014. He offered the following comment:

"I voted for the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act because it is absolutely vital that we give our first responders the resources they need to keep our communities safe from terrorist attacks and disaster. I will, however, continue to fight the appalling King Amendment and will urge the conference committee to remove it. Ignoring the contributions made by the thousands of young people who have graduated from our schools and are contributing to our society makes no sense. It's bad for our economy, bad for our nation's security, and simply wrong."

The King Amendment prohibits the continued implementation of protections for DREAMers --those estimated 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and have since led law-abiding lives. It directs the Department of Homeland Security to ignore its own rule stating that "aliens who pose a danger to national security or public safety are priority one for removal.

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