Congressman Veasey Demands a Vote on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Washington D.C. – Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, released the following statement after joining fellow House Democrats in announcing and signing a discharge petition to demand Speaker Boehner to bring H.R. 15, the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, to the House floor for a vote.

“Today more than ever, Americans know that our immigration system is broken and demand a common sense solution that reflects both our interests and values as a nation. The Republican House Leadership can no longer dismiss the 11 million aspiring citizens who only want to be reunited with their families and to pursue their passions from out of the shadows.

Here in the House, H.R. 15 echoes the spirit of the bipartisan Senate bill and upholds many of our basic principles. By bringing H.R. 15 to the floor for a vote we can protect our workers, reunite families, offer hardworking immigrants an earned pathway to citizenship, secure our borders, and even boost our economy.

Reducing the national deficit, creating jobs and improving the economy are American’s top priorities right now. Research shows that immigrant workers help grow the economy, leading to lower unemployment and higher wages for those of us already here. The recently released study by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) proves that should H.R. 15 pass the House of Representatives today, we have the ability to reduce the deficit by $900 billion over the next two decades.

This discharge petition is a true litmus test for my colleagues across the aisle to see who in fact wants to fix our broken immigration system and who has fallen prey to partisan politics. For the families and communities that continue to be torn apart, doing nothing is no longer an option. The time is now. It’s time to sign the discharge petition and vote in favor of H.R. 15.”

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