[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Pages 27804-27805]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    DEVELOPMENT, RELIEF, AND EDUCATION FOR ALIEN MINORS ACT OF 2007

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I am pleased that the Senate will have an 
opportunity to consider and adopt the DREAM Act. I have, again, 
cosponsored Senator Durbin's initiative along with Senators Lugar and 
Hagel and urge all Senators to join us in proceeding to consideration 
of S.2205, the latest version of the Development, Relief, and Education 
for Alien Minors Act.
  The DREAM Act was first introduced in 2001, during the 107th 
Congress. The Judiciary Committee favorably reported the bill with 
bipartisan support in 2002 and, again, in 2003 during the 108th 
Congress. When the Senate Judiciary Committee took up comprehensive 
immigration reform in 2006 during the 109th Congress, the DREAM Act was 
adopted by voice vote as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration 
reform bill reported by the Judiciary Committee, and it was included in 
the comprehensive immigration reform measure that the Senate ultimately 
passed in 2006. Senator Durbin worked hard to have the DREAM Act 
included in the bill the Senate took up this past summer. I hope the 
spirit of bipartisanship that has been evident throughout this bill's 
history in the Senate can carry it to final passage this year.
  The bill sets the right tone and policy. It seeks to enhance 
educational opportunities for thousands of young people who wish to 
enter college, but who are prevented from doing so due to circumstances 
over which they have little control. We should send the clear signal 
that the Senate majority is committed to doing what it can to move

[[Page 27805]]

positive immigration reforms forward. It makes good sense to invest in 
our future by enhancing educational opportunities for our Nation's 
young people.
  Children brought to the United States by their parents or guardians 
occupy a unique position in our society. They are technically illegal 
in status, but the Supreme Court has determined that these children are 
not responsible for the actions of their parents for purposes of 
elementary and secondary public education, recognizing that we disserve 
ourselves when we discriminate against them. The DREAM Act builds upon 
the rationale underlying the Supreme Court's decision in Plyler v. Doe 
in the interest of strengthening our Nation's future. It builds upon 
the American dream.
  Upon graduation from high school, thousands of talented young people 
find themselves without the legal status to obtain aid to attend 
college. The DREAM Act would give currently undocumented eligible young 
people the conditional legal status they need to allow them to obtain 
assistance to attend college or to join our military and eventually to 
obtain permanent legal residency and citizenship. Those who would 
benefit from the DREAM Act are young people we should be encouraging to 
follow their dreams. The status quo, in which our policies create 
barriers to advancement for so many young people who yearn to achieve 
and contribute, works to the disadvantage of the United States. Rather 
than barring young people from entering the American mainstream, we 
should strengthen our Nation's future through increased participation 
in higher education and in the military.
  As the Senate prepares to take up the DREAM Act, I hope that those 
who opposed comprehensive immigration reform will pause to consider the 
very real benefits the DREAM Act will bring. Let the Senate do the 
right thing, endorse the DREAM Act and reinforce the American dream for 
all.

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