THE TIME TO LEAD IS NOW
America is calling on the U.S. Senate to fix immigration; will Senators respond?
Washington, DC – Today, the Senate voted to return to the immigration debate. In the next few days, Senators will vote on cloture (a procedural vote to allow immigration reform to move forward, including consideration of over 20 amendments), and then on final passage. The following is a statement by Clarissa Martinez, Campaign Manager for the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
“We are encouraged by today’s unprecedented action by the U.S. Senate to return to the immigration debate. Since the failed cloture vote of June 7, some Senators have been trying to write the obituary on this debate and abdicate responsibility over one of the nation’s most pressing issues. Thankfully, a greater number of Senators understand that when it comes to the country’s broken immigration system, defending the status quo is tantamount to failing America, and not in keeping with the job they were elected to do.
The road to reform is steep because the problem has been neglected for so long – taking it on requires leadership, courage and putting aside partisan politics. Not an easy balance to strike.
The next few days will be decisive for the fate of comprehensive immigration reform –for this year, and likely for several years to come. The solution America needs must secure our borders, strengthen our economy and uphold the values of faith, family, and hard work that are the cornerstone of our democracy. We remain committed to this process and know that if there is a debate in the House it will be challenging and will require everyone’s engagement to improve on what the Senate has done. But one thing is clear: although much of the debate to date has concentrated on attacks against the content of the Senate bill, without Senate-approved legislation the House will not take up this issue, and the possibilities to improve upon Senate measures and to address one of the most pressing national issues will be lost.
We stand with the vast majority of Americans who demand a workable solution to this issue and who understand that our lives and our values are deeply intertwined with the condition and fate of immigrants. The nation is watching how Senators will respond to the next votes, because the status quo is untenable for our country and our communities, and it will deteriorate even further is Congress fails to act this year. The time to lead is now.”
The Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CCIR) is a campaign powered by the strategic, coordinated activities of immigrant advocacy, civil rights, faith-based and labor organizations across the United States and Capitol Hill. Our central purpose is to achieve passage of workable comprehensive immigration reform legislation that serves the nation.
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