Sen. Feinstein Opposes Republican Continuing Resolution
I rise in opposition to the Republican continuing resolution.
In addition to the many, many problems I have with how this bill was secretly written without any attempt to work with
On four occasions,
Then they drafted a so-called tax reform bill, again entirely in secret, not consulting anyone outside a small group of Republican lawmakers.
So it is not a surprise that the bill they jammed through is actually nothing more than a tax cut for the richest Americans and large corporations, and all at the expense of American families, who will actually pay higher taxes.
Now, doubling down on their failed strategy of secrecy,
I hope that
It is time to return to regular order.
Now I would like to speak about the absence of the Dream Act in this bill, a negligent decision that even the majority of
To say that
During his campaign,
Later, he said DACA recipients had nothing to worry about. Then, in September, the
DACA was put in place in 2012 by
In fact, the average DACA recipient was brought into
Now, there are nearly 700,000 individuals with DACA in
These young people study, they work, they pay their taxes. They are patriotic. They are American in every way that counts, and to leave them in such uncertainty is nothing less than cruel.
One family in particular has really brought this issue home for me, and that is the Sanchez family from
Maria and
Maria was an oncology nurse, and Eusebio was a truck driver. They had no criminal records, they paid their taxes, they owned a home, and they contributed to their community.
They also had four children, three of whom are U.S.citizens.
Elizabeth is 16 and currently enrolled in a community learning center.
Melin is 21 and is currently enrolled at UC Santa Cruz, studying molecular cell and developmental biology. She wants to be a pediatrician.
Their oldest daughter, Vianney, is 23, and she is not a citizen.
She is, however, protected under DACA. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in psychology, and today Vianney is taking care of her three siblings.
Imagine being thrust into the role of caregiver to your three siblings after your parents are kicked out of the country, but your own ability to remain here also remains uncertain.
Vianney will lose her DACA status in August. Imagine the fear and stress she carries with her every day.
All DACA recipients have to register with the government, so immigration officials know where Vianney lives and works. They could show up any day and deport her, leaving her three younger citizen siblings behind with no one to care for them.
Sadly, the experience of this family isn't rare. There are families like this across the country, people who came to America looking for a better life, who work and follow the law and contribute.
By ignoring their plight, by not prioritizing the Dream Act,
I simply can't accept this and ask my Republican colleagues to look into their hearts and find their compassion. Tell these young people they are safe. Tell them they deserve to stay and the Dream Act will pass.
This bill also fails to provide long-term funding stability for the
CHIP provides health coverage for nearly 9 million children. In
This program is absolutely critical to support children in working families that are moderate income and can't afford private coverage. Around a quarter of kids on CHIP have special healthcare needs . I have been hearing from my constituents about how important this program is.
Rachel, from Orange, wrote me to say, "There are many who depend on this assistance to stay alive. I was a type 1 diabetic at 12 with two disabled parents. If not for governmental assistance, I would be dead. Don't leave someone in this same situation hopeless."
Kathleen from
CHIP is also an important program for pregnant women. In
This care is so important for ensuring healthy moms and babies. If funding lapses, these expectant mothers are at risk of losing their coverage.
Funding for community health centers is also at risk.
There are more than 10,400 centers that see more than 25 million patients across the country.
In
Supporting community health centers isn't just the right thing to do for access, but for positive outcomes and cost-effectiveness as well.
Health center patients have an 18 percent lower rate of emergency room visits. Medicaid patients receiving care at health centers have costs that are 24 percent lower, and the quality of care is exceptional. Patients do better, and it costs less.
For all the talk about bipartisan support for these two programs, I am profoundly disappointed that we have not addressed their funding in a meaningful way.
Healthcare coverage for kids and access to basic healthcare services in our communities should be a no-brainer. I strongly support these programs and hope we can provide stability soon.
In conclusion, this has been a bad year for governance, and it is being capped off by yet another disappointing display by
All of us saw and heard the thousands of Dreamers who visited our offices. We saw not only their passion but also their desire to make a difference.
Many of these young people live in fear every day.
Tax cuts for rich people aren't time-sensitive. Protecting children is.
Let's get back on track, let's add the Dream Act and CHIP to this bill, and let's return to the good governance that our people expect.
Thank you.
Sen. Leahy Issues Statement on Funding Government
Sen. Brown Issues Statement on Children’s Health Insurance Program
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