Political Quotes

“I rise today in support of the DREAM Act. This important legislation would give eligible young people, who were brought to the United States as children, the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the United States. This bill addresses just one small piece of the immigration debate, but it has a profound impact on the lives of undocumented youth. I have supported the DREAM Act since it was first introduced in 2001 by Senators Hatch and Durbin. Since then, the DREAM Act has had wide bipartisan support. It passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee twice. Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented youth graduate from American high schools. Most of these undocumented youth did not make a choice to come to the United States; they were brought here by their parents. Many of these young people grew up in the United States and have little or no memory of the countries they came from. They are hard-working young people dedicated to their education or serving in the Nation's military. They have stayed out of trouble. Some are valedictorians and honor roll students; some are community leaders, and have an unwavering commitment to serving the United States. Through no fault of their own, these young individuals lack the immigration status they need to realize their potential.”