Speech #1140005776

Last week the Republican chairman of the Senate homeland security committee here in the Senate reportedly said. and I quote. that he "isnt that concerned about the potential shutdown of the Homeland Security Department." Jeh Johnson. the Secretary of Homeland Security. has a much different view. He says our homeland security is already at risk because the Department is operating under a shortterm funding bill known as a continuing resolution. Listen to what Secretary Johnson said: "As long as this Department continues to operate on a [continuing resolution]. we are prevented from funding key homeland security initiatives [including] new grants to state and local law enforcement [and] additional border security resources." How many times have we heard from the other side of the aisle the highest priority in America is our border security? Many of us agreed and voted for a comprehensive immigration reform that folded more resources than ever into protecting the border. Now the same people. the same elected officials. who have been arguing for a strong border are underfunding the Department with that responsibility. The Secretary reminds us their approach to this is going to jeopardize investments in border security. What are these amendments the House Republicans feel so strongly about that they are willing to risk the funding of this critical agency? The bill the House passed would defund President Obamas immigration policies. including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program known as DACA. A quick history about how we reached the point we are at today. It was 14 years ago when I introduced the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act was designed to take care of children brought to America by their parents. children who were undocumented. and to give those children a chance. if they led a good life and finished school. if they were prepared to go to college or join our military. to have a path to legal status. Over the years this has been debated widely. Even many Republican leaders have stepped up and said. well. it is fundamentally just. Why would you hold the children responsible for a decision made by their parents to come to this country? Why would you jeopardize the future of a child because the parents came here. overstayed their visa. or failed to file the necessary papers for their child? Even former Arkansas Governor Huckabee. interviewed this Sunday on television. made that very point. You dont arrest a parent for speeding in the front seat and then arrest the baby sitting in the back seat for speeding. He made that point in light of his decisions as the Governor of Arkansas. Over time this concept of the DREAM Act has been moving toward acceptance by both political parties but moving very slowly. For 14 years we have been debating this one simple idea. that children should not be held responsible for the wrongdoing of their parents. that young people brought to this country and undocumented should be given a chance. And. of course. 21/2 years ago. President Obama did something.