Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference Urging House Republicans to Keep DREAMer Amendments in NDAA

WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke at a press conference this morning urging House Republicans to keep DREAMer amendments in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“I want to thank Rep. Gallego for working to include an amendment in the defense authorization bill to encourage the Secretary of Defense to consider allowing DREAMers to serve in the military – and I want to thank him for his service to our nation as a Marine as well.  Rep. Foster is here – he’s introduced a bill similar to the Gallego amendment and has been a leader on this issue as well.  I also want to thank Rep. Veasey for his hard work on an amendment asking the Defense Department to evaluate how the DACA program would affect military recruitment.  Both were adopted in Committee with bipartisan support, and neither would force the Pentagon to do anything it doesn’t think is in the country’s best interest.

“There are young men and women who were brought here as children, who call America home, and want to serve in the uniform of our Armed Forces & defend our nation.  These amendments shouldn’t invite controversy, but once again extreme Tea Party Republicans are doing everything they can to whip up their base by attacking immigrants.

“Immigration has always strengthened our country – and enhanced our national security.  Last week we marked the 70th anniversary of victory in Europe during World War II, and many who served our country in that conflict were still earning their citizenship.  One of them was my father, an immigrant from Denmark who gained his U.S. citizenship after serving his new country during that war.

“That’s what DREAMers like Cesar [Vargas, Co-Director of DREAM Action] want – to serve the country they love in peace and in war.  We ought to allow those who are willing to sacrifice everything for America to serve here and stay here.  That’s why I will be working with Rep. Gallego, Rep. Veasey, Rep. Foster, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Linda Sanchez, and others to urge Republicans to abandon their misguided effort to remove these provisions from the defense authorization bill.”