Legislation granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens passed the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives today. Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., voted against the bill, the American Dream and Promise Act, releasing the following the statement:
"Already this week, the House passed a disaster aid bill without a single dime to alleviate the disaster at the border. Today, Nancy Pelosi and her caucus passed a bill providing amnesty and a path to citizenship, as well as Medicaid, food stamps, and other welfare benefits, to millions of illegal aliens, but no resources to prevent more than a hundred thousand from crossing the southern border every month. It would encourage legal aliens to break the law, to receive the same preferential treatment, and reward repeat criminals, including gang members."
"Bad laws like this are fueling the border crisis, reaching far into the U.S. Fortunately, despite misleading media coverage, Americans are beginning to understand the problem and effective solutions. We need to build a wall and end legal loopholes drawing enormous migrant caravans. Open borders are destructive."
Cooper Praises Immigration Bill Passage
"Many of these residents are students and have lived in the U.S. for years. They have become vital members of our community. For a lot of them, especially the DREAMers who were brought to the U.S. as children, it is the only home they know. They are going to school, working and serving in our military. They also make significant contributions to our economy.
"The Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill several years ago, which had overwhelming bipartisan support, including both Republican Tennessee senators. We never had the opportunity to vote on it in the House. Now that we have passed H.R. 6, the Senate needs to put politics aside and do what's right for Tennessee and for our country."
H.R.6 establishes a path to permanent resident status for DREAMers and immigrants who either have, or have been eligible for, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). The bill passed the House today 237-187.
The Senate passed S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, on June 27, 2013 with a margin of 68-32. Speaker John Boehner declined to bring it to the floor for a vote in the House of Representatives.
According to the Center for American Progress, DREAMers and immigrants with TPS and DED status in Cheatham, Davidson and Dickson counties spend more than $200 million annually and pay more than $63 million in federal, state and local taxes.
