Statement
Congress’ Failure to Secure DREAMers’ Future Is ‘Shameful,’ Moms Leader Says, Noting that Some Badly Needed Provisions Are Included in Budget Deal
February 9, 2018
Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996
Statement from Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, a national online and on-the-ground organization of more than 1 million mothers and their families, on the budget the Congress passed today
“It is shameful and outrageous that the budget that Congress passed today offers no solutions for the hundreds of thousands of DREAMers – young immigrants who grew up in this country and know no other home – who have been in limbo ever since President Trump callously ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Every day since, more young immigrants have lost their status and have been forced to live in fear that they will be separated from their families and sent away from their homes. DREAMers were brought to this country as children and must be allowed to continue to live, learn, work and contribute to our communities and our economy.
“The moms of America commend Leader Nancy Pelosi for her courageous, principled show of support for DREAMers on the House floor this week. We join her in demanding that Congress protect the immigrant youth and families who are being torn apart and harmed by the Trump administration's heartless policies. All lawmakers should search their souls and heed her call to protect these young immigrants, who make our country stronger. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in particular, should make good on his commitment to stop impeding the bipartisan immigration legislation our country needs.
“The congressional budget deal does, however, include some badly needed provisions that boost our health, our children’s prospects, and our economy, which MomsRising has been advocating for for the past year, including:
- Eliminating sequester caps which for too long have been strangling the education, nutrition and health care programs that boost struggling families.
- Extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for 10 years.
- Reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program for five years.
- Reauthorizing Community Health Centers for two years.
- Providing $5.8 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) over two years -- a down payment on the investment the Child Care for Working Families Act makes to address the childcare crisis in America.
- Providing $6 billion to combat opioid abuse and improve mental health.
- Providing funding for hurricane and wildfire disaster aid, including much needed money for Puerto Rico (including $4.9 billion in Medicaid for Puerto Rico).
“A just country leaves nobody behind. Our futures are intrinsically linked. We will not accept deals that pit young people, including DREAMers, against each other. Taking away the ability of young people who have grown up in our country to continue to get an education and work helps no one and hurts our economy and our society. We know that diversity is what makes our nation strong, innovative and prosperous; and we demand that Congress take immediate action to pass bipartisan legislation to protect immigrant youth and families that are being torn apart by the Trump Administration’s cruel anti-immigrant policies.”