Madam Speaker. this week New York City does what many in our country should be doing everyday. Across 7 days and more than 100 events. the Big Apple celebrates the culture and achievements of the countless numbers of immigrantspast and presentwho have come to our great country. They come from numerous continents. and countries. in a variety of hues. each with their own distinct histories. descendants of cultures that predate our society sometimes four or five times over. Despite the obstacles. they manage to quickly prove themselves and contribute to their communities in a number of ways. They and their children. their lives now woven into the fabric of this Nation. find success and across a number of fields including academia. business. law. music. sports and politics. Contrary to the hateful and divisive antiimmigration rhetoric that so open poisons our public discussion of the issue. the vast majority of immigrants are not a drain on our government or on our economy. They are in our military. in the reserves and on the battlefront. some even paying the ultimate price for their sacrifice of service. They more than hold their own weight economically by paying. according to the nonpartisan Immigration Policy Center (IPC). more than 300 billion in federal. state and local taxes. They fuel our economy as both laborers and employers. locally generating more than 229 billion in New York State alone. That is a figure that represents more than 22 percent of the States overall GDP. even though they represent a small percentage of the overall population.
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