GOP, Defying Reason, Kills DREAM Act

The following was released by the Campaign for Community Change:

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate failed to pass cloture on the DREAM Act, a bipartisan bill that would have enabled undocumented young people who came to the country as children to enlist in the U.S. military or attend college on their way to becoming citizens. The same bill had been approved in the House of Representatives earlier this month. Gabe Gonzalez, campaign director of the Campaign for Community Change and chief political strategist for FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement), issued the following statement:

“Today was extremely disappointing, and we are heartbroken for all the young people who poured their hearts, minds and bodies into this fight. We are saddened that tomorrow their futures will still be uncertain, their freedom tenuous and their potential limited.

“Although their efforts came up short, we are grateful to the Senate and House leadership who made the vote possible and showed they are responsive to the needs of our communities. We also applaud the White House for its role in pushing for its passage.

“Today, when given the chance to help our brightest and most talented young people with a bill that would have reduced the deficit and expanded the pool of military recruits, we saw who was with us and who was against us. It is unfortunate Republicans chose to continue their two-year campaign of obstruction over the future of our children. Especially disappointing were Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, John McCain and others who had previously supported the measure, but today chose to turn their backs on our deserving youth to tow the party line.

“This loss, however, hasn’t weakened our resolve. In fact, it has strengthened it. Our focus now turns to 2012. We watched this vote because we vote, too. The grassroots immigration reform movement has spent the last four years building up our electoral base, and we’ve delivered in the past two national elections. Our power was on clear display when we helped preserve the seats of our champions in the Senate, and we helped deliver more calls than the opposition in support of theDREAM Act.

“The work ahead for us is clear. We need senators and representatives who will place the well-being of our families, communities and country ahead of petty politics. Today was a sad day, but we will not waver. We will continue to grow our movement and our power. Making the DREAM Act a reality is only a matter of time, because with the energy and dedication of our activists, it will come to pass.”