[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 1, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H1181-H1182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   URGENCY TO PASS IMMIGRATION REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ruiz) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today on the eve of President Biden's 
State of the Union speech to strongly urge Congress to pass immigration 
reform to boost our economy, grow our GDP, and create jobs across the 
country.
  Right now, our economy is roaring back after the depths of a global 
pandemic, and workers and families are still feeling the effects. As we 
continue this recovery and work to grow our economy, lower costs, and 
create jobs, it is now more crucial than ever that we secure a pathway 
to citizenship for the millions of hardworking, immigrant, essential 
workers across the country who contribute to our economy every day.
  We must secure a pathway to citizenship for the farmworkers and 
meatpackers who feed America, the construction workers who build 
American cities, the restaurant and hotel workers who serve our 
families, and the nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers who have 
cared for us in this public health crisis. Now is the time to deliver 
on immigration reform to boost our economy and keep families together.
  Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus join me in this fight to 
urgently act. That is why we have worked tirelessly with the Biden 
administration to enact policy changes to build a more efficient, just, 
fair, and humane immigration system that reflects our American values.
  We have pursued an all-of-the-above and any-which-way approach to 
achieving immigration reform using every tool at our disposal to secure 
a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, farmworkers, TPS holders, and 
essential workers.

[[Page H1182]]

  In the House, CHC members have introduced and passed meaningful 
bipartisan bills to achieve that goal. As the proud son of farmworkers, 
I was thrilled when Democrats, Republicans, growers, and workers came 
together to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This bipartisan 
bill would give farmworkers and their families a pathway to 
citizenship.
  Doing so would stabilize our workforce and the price of our food, 
making your produce, my produce, and everybody's produce available at a 
reasonable cost. The CHC also led efforts to pass the bipartisan 
American Dream and Promise Act to allow DACA, temporary protected 
status, and deferred enforced departure beneficiaries to earn permanent 
residence and continue contributing to our workforce and economy.
  CHC, with House Democrats, delivered. Unfortunately, Republicans in 
the Senate blocked these commonsense bills that would benefit all 
Americans and help keep families together. However, we didn't let their 
refusal to do what is right for this country and American families 
stand in the way of our work to enact positive change.
  That is why the CHC led efforts to pass immigration reform through 
the Build Back Better Act and provide a much-needed pathway to 
citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, essential workers, and 
farmworkers, and meaningful protections and work permits. Out of the 
House, we passed significant reforms to address the historic labor 
shortages our Nation faces, grow our GDP, and fight rising costs for 
American families.
  Now, with these much-needed provisions awaiting consideration in the 
Senate, I call on my Senate colleagues to take up the Build Back Better 
Act without delay and pass it with a pathway to citizenship. I call on 
the Senate to pass the American Dream and Promise Act. I call on the 
Senate to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
  We must urgently pass immigration reform right now. We will work with 
the administration to achieve positive, meaningful immigration changes. 
It is our duty to our Nation to give hardworking, immigrant, essential 
workers the opportunity to stay in the country that they call home.
  Our Nation's immigrants are professionals, entrepreneurs, doctors, 
nurses, and essential workers who make America stronger. We are at our 
strongest when we embrace our immigrant communities.
  Later tonight, during President Biden's State of the Union address, 
CHC members will be virtually joined by Dreamers from our districts to 
highlight their contributions to our country, their home. Dreamers are 
part of our efforts to rebuild and to recover. They are our future and 
our constant inspiration in this fight.
  Tonight, I am proud to be joined by Alma from Thermal, California, my 
constituent, to say: ``You are not forgotten.'' ``No son olvidados.''
  You are home.

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