Blumenthal Statement On Senate Cloture Vote Advancing Immigration Bill

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued the following statement after he and the U.S. Senate voted 67-27 in favor of a procedural vote on a bipartisan compromise amendment to S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act – also known as the Immigration Bill. The success of the Corker-Hoeven amendment paves the way for a vote later this week on the full bill.
 
“Today’s successful overwhelming bipartisan vote fuels momentum and clears the way for a historic, transformative change that will allow millions of people the chance to pursue the American Dream. This bill is not perfect, but it is a profoundly important step toward bringing 11 million people out of the shadows – including many thousands in Connecticut. This bill will provide a path to earned citizenship for them, and, most especially, the young DREAMers who were brought to this country as infants or very young children. I am still hopeful that the bill can be further improved through amendments that I and others will offer in the next couple of days, if amendments are possible.”

 The Immigration bill includes eight amendments sponsored and secured by Blumenthal during Judiciary Committee consideration. Those amendments include:

•  Language to prevent U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from raiding schools, hospitals, and religious institutions without prior approval; and
•  An amendment to allow DREAMers – immigrants brought to this country before the age of 16 – to naturalize while serving in the military just as they can under current law. The immigration bill, as originally drafted, would have prevented noncitizen service members from naturalizing.

 The bill would also:

•  Boost tax revenue by almost $900 billion over the next 20 years;
• Increase wages of all U.S. workers by 0.5 percent by 2033, according to CBO; and
• Provide new protections for workers.