[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 158 (Tuesday, October 3, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H7731]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       DREAMERS ARE AMERICANS TOO

  (Mr. SCHRADER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of 
Leonardo Reyes of Salem, Oregon, and urge Speaker Ryan to put forth a 
clean Dream Act bill.
  Leo is an undocumented Oregonian. His mother brought Leo and his 
siblings to Oregon when he was 10 years old. His mother was a victim of 
domestic violence and felt she needed to get as far away from her 
husband as possible to keep Leo and his siblings safe. His mother left 
everything she knew in Mexico in order to pursue a better life for her 
children.
  Leo has attended Davis Elementary School, Reynolds Middle School, 
McKay High School, graduated from Chemeketa Community College, and is 
currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies at 
Western Oregon University.
  He works full-time helping senior citizens and individuals with 
disabilities access healthcare and food benefits. Additionally, Leo was 
a cofounder of the Oregon DACA Coalition, which raises awareness in the 
community by empowering Oregon youth to engage in our democratic 
process.
  Leo considers himself an American, and I do too. He believes that 
being an American is a set of values and ideals which we all hold dear.
  We need to pass a clean Dream Act bill that will recognize Leo and 
over 800,000 DREAMers as equal members in our community.

                          ____________________