Newhouse Votes to Provide Certainty for Dreamers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after voting to support H.R. 6, the AmericanDream and Promise Act:
"This bill is a step forward. This legislation today will not be signed into law as written because it does not do enough to address our border crisis, but I voted today to send this bill to the Senate with the hope that we can work together to make improvements, achieve the required 60 votes, and – finally – send a lasting, legislative solution to the President's desk. My vote is a signal that I am willing to work with my colleagues across the aisle and in both chambers – just as I have always done – to provide a permanent solution for DACA recipients in Central Washington and across the country.
Congress cannot keep kicking this can down the road, and until we have a comprehensive solution signed into law, these young people – who were brought to this country at no fault of their own – will continue to suffer.
There is no doubt about it: Illegal crossings at our border have reached a crisis point. Congress must offer clear, targeted, and responsible solutions to secure our border, strengthen our national security, and deter future illegal migration. I will continue to work with my colleagues to do just that."
Background:
H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, provides legal status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, as well as individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). In order to obtain this status, individuals are required to adhere to strict guidelines, avoid criminal convictions, and pay a fee.
Rep. Newhouse introduced an amendment that would strike Title I of H.R. 6 and replace it with the text of the Graham-Durbin Senate legislation, S. 246, the Dream Act of 2021. The amendment would have ensured stricter eligibility for legal status. Unfortunately, it was not accepted.
In the 116th Congress, Rep. Newhouse was one of 7 Republicans to vote in support of H.R. 6, citing the need for a bipartisan solution that provides certainty for DACA recipients as well as enhanced border security. Click here to read his statement.
There are over 17,000 DACA recipients in Washington state, with one-third of them residing in the 4th Congressional District. Rep. Newhouse represents more DACA recipients than any other Republican Member of Congress. The average Dreamer came to this country at the age of 6 and is now 26. They speak English and are as culturally American as any native-born citizen.
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