Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to speak about S. 729, known as the DREAM Act. This is bipartisan immigration legislation that I have introduced with Republican Senator Dick Lugar of Indiana. Immigration is a controversial issue, but I hope there is one aspect of this debate that does not divide us: Innocent children should not be victims of our broken immigration system. That is why I introduced the DREAM Act almost 10 years ago. The DREAM Act would give a select group of immigrant students the chance to earn legal status if they grew up in the United States, have good moral character, and attend college or enlist in the military of our country. The DREAM Act has broad, bipartisan support. The last time the Senate considered the DREAM Act, it received 52 votes, including 11 Republicans, but we needed 60 votes under the Senate rules. It is clear, though, that a bipartisan majority in the Senate supports the DREAM Act. Since then, support for the DREAM Act has only grown, and the bill now has 40 cosponsors. The DREAM Act also is the only immigration bill that the Obama administration has officially and publicly endorsed. Just this month, President Obama said: We should stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents by denying them the chance to stay here and earn an education and contribute their talents to build the country where they have grown up. The DREAM Act would do this, and that is why I supported this bill as a State legislator, as a U.S.…”