Jan 24
Senator Kamala Harris Statement Opposing Stopgap Spending Bill
Senator Kamala Harris Statement Opposing Stopgap Spending Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2018
CONTACT: Tyrone Gayle, 202-897-6212
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement today on her vote against the motion to invoke cloture on the stopgap spending bill:
“Our government made a promise to our Dreamers and it is long past time that we kept that promise. These are young people who are Americans in every respect except on paper. They have been waiting far too long to live securely in the only place they have ever called home.
“The Majority Leader’s comments last night fell far short of the ironclad guarantee I needed to support a stopgap spending bill. I refuse to put the lives of nearly 700,000 young people in the hands of someone who has repeatedly gone back on his word. I will do everything in my power to continue to protect Dreamers from deportation.
“It is also time that we stop governing from crisis to crisis and ensure that priorities critical to Californians are funded for the future. I will continue to work with my colleagues to find a long-term solution that supports members of our military and national security priorities, funds children’s health insurance and community health centers, provides resources for those recovering from disasters like the California wildfires, and guarantees a future for young immigrants who are as American as all of us.”
Jan 24
California Democratic Party Statement on the Vote to End the Shutdown
When Congressional Republicans shut down the government, their goal was clear: use the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as leverage to destroy any compromise on protecting Dreamers. Despite widespread, bipartisan support among everyday Americans for preserving both the DACA and CHIP programs, the GOP showed the world that its priority is pandering to its xenophobic base.
As California Democrats, our goal is also clear: we refuse to trade children’s healthcare for humane treatment of our Dreamers. That’s what being an effective and principled opposition to Trump and the GOP looks like. We are proud that our leadership here in Sacramento has taken this responsibility seriously, passing tough protections for our communities and our environment and pledging to fight the Trump administration’s attempt to roll back hard-won progressive victories.
But we also need strong leadership from Democrats in Washington. Unfortunately, today Senate Minority Leader Schumer gave the GOP exactly what they wanted, and despite strong opposition from both Californians in the Senate, made a deal with one of the most unstable and incompetent GOP teams in American history. Without securing an agreement to protect Dreamers, Schumer’s deal kicks the fiscal can down the street to another inevitable showdown in February. We don’t trust Mitch McConnell, and we don’t trust Donald Trump.
Lets stand together as Californians and demand that legislation preserving DACA be part of any future reconciliation agreement in Washington. All governance takes compromise, but it cannot be on the backs of hard-working young people who have broken no laws and are asking only for an equal shot at the American dream.
Call Senator Schumer and tell him that California Democrats are united behind Dreamers and want leadership in Washington that shares that commitment.
Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer
Washington, DC Office Phone:
(202) 224-6542
In Solidarity,
Daraka Larimore-Hall, Vice Chair
California Democratic Party