Congressman Gregory W. Meeks Demands A Vote on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation
Congressman Gregory W. Meeks Demands A Vote on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- With Republican leadership refusing to allow a vote on bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation Congressman Gregory W. Meeks took swift action to force a vote, signing a “Demand A Vote” petition on the floor of the House earlier today. The petition would force a vote on H.R. 15, the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, legislation that would help secure our border, protect our workers, unite our families, provide an earned pathway to citizenship, and create jobs.
“Today, I join my forward-thinking colleagues in demanding a vote on comprehensive immigration reform legislation,” said Representative Meeks. “It is time for Speaker Boehner and the rest of the Republican leadership to stop blocking this sensible bipartisan immigration reform and make good on its promise to the American people. They should allow a vote on H.R. 15 to create jobs, empower our small businesses, fuel innovation, reduce the deficit, energize the economy, and address the millions of individuals currently residing as second-class citizens. It is time for us to fix our broken immigration system, and build a foundation that respects our history and our values as a nation. I encourage Republican leadership to put people above politics.”
Nearly nine months have gone by since the Senate passed its own bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation by a significant margin of 68-32. Comprehensive immigration reform has received overwhelming support from law enforcement, faith leaders, the business community and the American people.
A report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released on Tuesday found that the House legislation, H.R. 15, would reduce the deficit by $900 billion over the next two decades, with a $200 billion reduction in the first decade alone. The bill has 199 co-sponsors, three of whom are Republican. Yet, despite broad support, Republican leadership continues to prevent the House from holding a vote on this necessary and popular legislation. Noting this, Congressman Meeks remarked, “The time for action is not next month or next year, confronting our broken immigration system shouldn’t be left to the next Congress or the one thereafter; the time for action is now.”
House Democrats are launching a new feature ¬ Dems.gov/TimeIsNow where anyone can add their name to list if they support the #DemandAVote Petition to force the House to finally take action to fix our broken immigration system.