Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has announced that he will bring the DREAM Act (S. 729) up for a vote as an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill.
A vote could come as early as Tuesday.
With your help, the DREAM Act will be considered and pass in the Senate.
Please take one or more of the following actions.
Call the offices of your Senators and urge your Senators to support the DREAM Act. Connect to your Senators’ offices (the link will take you to a page on the Reform Immigration FOR America website)
Send a fax to your Senators. Use the tool set up by our colleagues at America’s Voice.
Send a Letter – Go to our website to send a letter to your Senators urging them to support the DREAM Act.
Use your social networks – Looking for more ways to help through Facebook, Twitter, etc?
More background and talking points below
Process: Because the DREAM Act is being offered as an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill, there will be several procedural votes on which we will need 60 votes before the Senate can proceed with an actual vote on the DREAM Act. The first vote will be next Tuesday, September 21, 2010.
Background: The DREAM Act, introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), is legislation that would provide certain undocumented students with the opportunity to earn permanent legal status if they came to the United States as children, have good moral character, finish high school or obtain a G.E.D., and complete two years of college or military service.
Points You Can Make About the DREAM Act
- The plight of DREAM students is one example of our unworkable immigration laws. Caught in a system where there is little, if any, means for legalizing their status, smart, hard-working kids face an uncertain future because of their inability to continue their education, work, or join the military. The loss of potential, productivity, and hope for these individuals is also a major loss for our communities. Nebraska is missing out on talented workers and entrepreneurs, and is losing vital tax revenues and other economic contributions. This is one important piece of common-sense legislation to help create a workable immigration system that lives up to our values and moves us forward.
- The DREAM Act is bipartisan legislation that gives eligible young people who were brought to the U.S. as children the opportunity to resolve their immigration status and work towards citizenship. To move from being undocumented to being a U.S. citizen, those eligible will have to pass background checks and be of good moral character, graduate from high school, and go on to complete additional requirements related to attending college or completing military service.
The DREAM Act is supported by 70 percent of likely voters and by leaders in education, the military, business and religious orders.
- A national poll of 1,008 adults, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for First Focus in June 2010, shows that support cuts across regional and party lines with 70 percent overall support.
- University presidents and educational associations, as well as military recruiters, business and religious leaders have called on Congress to pass the DREAM Act.
The DREAM Act is critical to the well-being of thousands of young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and who consider this country their home.
The DREAM Act is also critical to the future of our communities. These are talented youth who are our future teachers, doctors, and leaders. We cannot afford to squander the asset they represent to our state.
Thank you for bringing the DREAM Act one step closer to reality. Your strong activism is making the difference.