WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement on the Senate’s immigration votes today:
“Congress must not fail the DREAMers who are looking to us for protection. The Senate must not simply give up but work to reach a compromise that can achieve sixty votes and enables DREAMers to stay in this country they call home. It does not surprise me that the only Senate bill receiving less than a majority – indeed, receiving the fewest votes of any of the four considered – was the President’s proposal. Now that it is clear the President’s vision for immigration policy cannot move forward, I hope he will demonstrate real leadership and actively work to find a bipartisan compromise to fix this problem he created.
“While the Senate continues negotiating a path forward, the House need not wait. I urge the Speaker to put three bills on the Floor as soon as we are back in session under the Queen of the Hill rule: a clean DREAM Act, the partisan Goodlatte proposal, and the bipartisan Aguilar-Hurd compromise legislation. I call on the Speaker to keep his promise to take on the tough issues and let the House work its will. We must provide DREAMers with the assurance that they can remain here and will have a pathway to citizenship.”