‘Yes We Can!’: Democrat-Controlled House Passes ‘Path to Citizenship’ Bill By Patrick Goodenough for CNS News
More than eight years after the House passed a previous iteration of the Dream Act, the Democrat majority on Tuesday passed the latest version to cheers and chants of “Yes we can,” a day after the Trump administration indicated the president would veto it if it ever reaches his desk.
As voting got underway, visitors to the House began clapping, chanting and cheering, ignoring efforts from the speaker to restore order. Some members could also be seen joining in.
When the final vote result was announced – 237 votes to 187 – the gallery erupted, and more banging of the gavel ensued, again to little effect.
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“The moment when it passed was like a rock concert,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted later. “The people’s cheers brought many, many members to tears. What a moment. This is why we fight.”
Democrat senators, including 2020 presidential hopefuls Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.) and Cory Booker (N.J.), urged the Senate to pass the legislation, although a statement from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) alluded to the anticipated hurdles ahead.
“The Senate must act,” Schumer said. “This cannot be yet another piece of critical legislation buried in Leader [Mitch] McConnell’s legislative graveyard.”
Seven Republicans joined the Democrats in passing the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R.6). They were Reps. Don Bacon (Nebr.), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Will Hurd (Texas), Dan Newhouse (Wash.), Chris Smith (N.J.) and Fred Upton (Mich.)
No Democrats voted no. (Five Democrats and four Republicans did not vote.)
H.R. 6 was introduced by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) and has 232 Democratic cosponsors. If enacted, it would provide green cards and authorization to work to immigrants brought illegally to the U.S. as minors (“Dreamers”), if they meet certain criteria.
