Political Quotes

“I rise today to discuss an issue I have been working on for 23 years, the plight of America's Dreamers. I first introduced the DREAM Act more than two decades ago with Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, who was then the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bipartisan bill would provide a pathway to citizenship for young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and allow them to remain in this country, the only home many of them had ever known. Dreamers grew up alongside our kids, with the same hopes and dreams of getting their first job, their driver's license, even going to college. Many have gone on to serve our Nation as doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and first responders. Some have shown their loyalty to this country by serving in the Armed Forces. Yet without congressional action, Dreamers spend every day in fear of their lives being uprooted by the threat of deportation. Twelve years ago, in response to a bipartisan request from myself and Senator Richard Lugar, President Obama established the DACA Program. DACA has protected more than 830,000 young people from deportation, all of whom were brought to this country as children, some as young as a few months old. Now, I realize for many of us the outcome of this month's elections was not what we wanted, fought for, or voted for. However, my priority of providing a safe pathway to citizenship for Dreamers has not changed because of the election.…”