DIGITAL Applications Act

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Republican leader of the Judiciary for yielding. He is correct that when the Republicans were in the majority, they brought two bills to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the gentleman and others, and even the majority leader, that not one Democrat voted for either of those bills. Not one Democrat voted for a bill to move to the Senate. They actually denied the bill from going to the Senate, even if you wanted to change it to become law. That is just a little truth in history.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to say something that President Biden refuses to say. There is a crisis on our southern border. It is a humanitarian crisis. It is a public health crisis, a national security crisis. It is a Biden border crisis, and it is spiraling out of control with no signs of ending.

When candidate Biden told migrants in June to immediately surge to the border, I knew his immigration policies would be bad. But I did not think it would be this bad. I did not think that would mean 13,000 unaccompanied minors in U.S. custody.

I did not think it would mean moving them from border facilities across the country: 1,000 of them went to Midland Texas; 3,000 to Dallas; and, likely, to more cities tomorrow.

I did not think the Biden administration would require COVID tests for American citizens entering the country, but not for illegal immigrants.

I did not think Biden's own DHS Secretary would have to admit that we are ``on pace to encounter more individuals on the southwest border than we have in the last 20 years,'' Mr. Speaker.

I did not think I would hear the President of Mexico refer to our President Joe Biden as the ``migrant President.''

And I did not think it would only take 2 months to create the worst border crisis in the history of America.

But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what happened. When I visited the border on Monday, one thing was abundantly clear: This crisis started at midnight on January 20.

Mr. Speaker, it started when President Biden stopped building the wall, even though there are only a few miles left to complete. When he made that decision, he had to pay more money to the contractors to break the contract. It started when he promised to make all 11 million illegal immigrants citizens.

Now, my colleague from Florida (Mr. Gimenez) spoke with a family from Honduras about their journey to the border. He asked them how long the trek was. They said it was 22 days. The story of this family is a story we have heard from many and it is not unique.

You see, thousands decided to cross the border now because of President Biden's promises and policies. They listened to him in June when he said: You need to surge the border.

As one migrant family recently told FOX News: Yes, I listened to the news that they were letting people in.

When I was there Monday, I was speaking to the border agents, the American citizens, and the migrants. The number one thing was clear: the crisis at the border is the worst they have ever seen.

When we went to El Paso, we toured the new processing facility. We built it under the last administration. It is huge, 98,000 square feet. And when I asked the chief patrol agent, Chief Chavez said: We built it so large with capacity, we didn't believe it could ever meet capacity.

But that day we marked history. That day they hit capacity: 1,040 people, mostly children unaccompanied.

You know what it meant when you hit capacity?

That meant 120 border agents got pulled off the border to protect us to go into the center. That is what a crisis looks like, even if the administration won't say it.

We also saw overworked Border Patrol agents in the El Paso facility. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank them. What they are being asked to do is extraordinary: the pressure on them, the pressure from the administration not to allow press to see what is happening; the pressure of being over capacity with the number of people there; the pressure to do it under a pandemic. That is what a crisis looks like.

When we sat and talked to the doctor from the medical unit, he told us that approximately 10 percent of every immigrant has COVID, but they are not tested. You see, that is only for American citizens when they reenter. But they are not tested and they are sent to other cities.

And, as many of you know here, you could be tested and you are positive, but the person you have been standing around, put into one unit for a number of days, sleeping very close next to, after you have interacted the entire time in one unit, a closed unit, that you will become positive in the next 5 days. But that is okay because you will be shipped to another city. But that city has been trying to combat this pandemic. Who knows what happens next.

And the most alarming, Mr. Speaker, was when we were briefed in Monument Three in El Paso. They told us that they caught people on the terrorist watch list. I know that the Speaker would be concerned about that. I was alarmed. I questioned further. It is not just people on the terrorist watch list. We found people from other nations, from Iran, from Turkey.

Mr. Speaker, when I went to the press conference right after that, I mentioned that because I think every American--one terrorist is too much in this Nation that could get through. I believe, Mr. Speaker, that you believe that, too.

But Congressman Gallego, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations--and

he also represents a border State--I thought he would tweet arm-in-arm to stop this.

But you know what the gentleman said, Mr. Speaker?

He tweeted on Monday that I was ``either lying or I was wrong'' because he hadn't heard anything about it. I believe he even challenged me because he had such high clearance because he is on Intel.

And Congresswoman Escobar, who represents part of El Paso, I thought the gentlewoman would be very concerned, too, because this is where they are entering, where they caught these people on a terrorist watch list. Not everybody gets put on one. Mr. Speaker, what she said was that I was trying to ``fuel the division'' because I just said that a terrorist was caught coming through.

But, on Tuesday, Axios confirmed that four people matching terrorist watch lists were arrested at the border, three from Yemen and one from Serbia.

Biden's DHS Secretary also confirmed that this indeed happened. I am not sure if their Twitter account is down or if they have been blocked, but I have not heard an apology or a correction. I know Twitter does that to Members of Congress, but I hope they are back on and I will soon get the apology or the acknowledgment of a correction and the respect.

If Members with security clearance haven't heard about the terrorist threats on the border, I suggest they pay closer attention to the classified briefings.

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for this crisis rests squarely on the shoulders of President Biden. After weeks of claiming they could handle it, his administration is now attempting to blame the growing crisis on the previous President. But nothing could be further from the truth. Words and actions have meanings, and Biden has sent the message that our border is open.

So there is no question that President Biden provoked the problem. The question is: How can we stop it?

Mr. Speaker, when I was there in El Paso, 150 miles of the wall was supposed to be built. But at midnight on January 20, 133 miles had been finished. Instead of finishing the project, they stopped. You could go to the ranch where they took down the old barrier because they were going to put up the new wall, and there is nothing there. It is not just people coming across illegally, but animals move back and forth.

So far, the Biden administration congressional Democrats aren't providing any solutions. Mr. Speaker, we want to solve this problem. That is why I sent a letter to the President 2 weeks ago to sit down. When the President said immigrants should surge to the border, we understood what he meant. So all those who were seeking asylum automatically got in, COVID or not, no tests required.

We saw that the Biden administration told migrants: We aren't saying don't come; just don't come now. You see, that was from the Secretary. Those are really strong words.

But, Mr. Speaker, what moved me the most was speaking to border agents, one who was a father, and one that was a mother, talking about the unaccompanied children. He told me a story of coming upon children, a one-year-old, a three-year-old, and a five-year-old all holding hands. No one in sight for miles away. It is remarkable that they got there.

But the question is: How many didn't make it? How many lives have been lost or abused, simply because they heard a message, or you stopped the PACR program, or you changed from ``remain in Mexico,'' or you stopped finishing the wall that was almost complete?

Mr. Speaker, those who defend the border told me that they have never seen so much fentanyl as they have in the last month. They have never seen the tactics that were used of storming the wall all at once. Just in this one small section, if you looked--it would just go a number of blocks--100 to 200 people a night are apprehended.

We saw last week, with the Democrat's so-called COVID relief bill, $22 billion in healthcare subsidies that illegal immigrants are eligible for, another clear message. But zero dollars are dedicated to helping the men and women patrolling the border.

Mr. Speaker, they need the help. They are stretched so thin. They are stretched so thin, in the middle of COVID, where they are dealing with something where they are not even testing for COVID but they have to interact.

This new facility, 98,000 square feet, is a beautiful facility. It has already met capacity for the first time in history with the new administration. But if you look across into the parking lot, the dirt parking lot, where the border agents have to park, they were moving their cars. They had to put up tents, because the surge is so great. You see, they listened to the words of candidate Biden and they watched the actions of President Biden.

But there is no new money. I know that COVID bill was the--well, we shouldn't call it COVID. It is less than 9 percent for COVID. But, Mr. Speaker, do you realize in that bill, prisoners will get more money than the Border Patrol? Do you realize that they are going to have to use their own operation money that is stretched so thin? So not only can the Border Patrol not be on the border, now they are taking any money for the future to deal with the surge today.

The American people deserve leaders who will work with the seriousness of purpose, what this crisis requires. That is why I wrote a letter to President Biden 2 weeks ago asking to meet about the crisis. Since then, the crisis has only gotten worse, but, unfortunately, the President still hasn't responded. Today, I sent President Biden a second letter offering to relay what we learned at the border, since he refuses to go there. But I believe he would benefit from a hearing of what we saw and heard.

Mr. Speaker, if the President won't go there and the President puts orders to deny the press from learning so the American people can't know, I think it would behoove him to hear from the people who are there.

I also introduced five solutions based on the information from our trip. All of them are rooted in the basic idea that we are both a Nation of immigrants and a Nation of laws.

Mr. Speaker, I know you are proud of your heritage, and I am proud of mine, like every single American. I know how many of us come from immigrant families. I know when you walk into my office, where you have been, Mr. Speaker, you look on my wall and you will see the documents from Ellis Island. April 23 of this year will mark the 100th anniversary of my grandfather, Guido Palladino, coming from Italy as a young child, boarding a ship to come here for a better life.

You see, America believes in immigration, but there is no time to break the law and come illegally. There is a process to come here.

If we implement now these commonsense solutions, it will help to stop the border crisis.

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the Biden border crisis is a humanitarian, health, and national security crisis, and it is deteriorating quickly.

To protect our citizens from further harm, our Government must send a clear and united message to the citizens of Mexico and Central America. That message is simple: There is never a right time to break the law and enter the United States illegally.

The time for delay, denial, and distraction is over.

Mr. Speaker, I know you care about this issue. I know you care about what is happening at the border. Mr. Speaker, I ask you, convey that to the President. If he cares as much as you, he will travel there. I know it is tough to travel, but when you have Air Force One--and I know he has got a schedule--it is not far to fly to the border. His own Secretary has said this is the worst it has been in 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, there is not one law that has passed here that created that crisis.

Mr. Speaker, to all your constituents and all of those in America, there are terrorists who have been caught; there are children walking in the desert by themselves; there are cartels making a fortune off the parts and disadvantaging of America.

We are in the middle of a pandemic where people are not being tested but shipped to other cities. This isn't political, Mr. Speaker. This is about this Nation. Join with us on our letter. Let's solve this problem together.

Mr. Speaker, the FBI and the Secretary of Homeland Security said the greatest threat to America is domestic terrorism, White racism, white supremacy, not babies who have come here innocently and through no fault of their own.

I rise with great enthusiasm to support H.R. 6 and to join my colleague, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, in her work. For two decades, we have stood alongside each other.

The American Dream and Promise Act provides immigrant youth and current or potential holders of temporary protected status or deferred enforced departure the opportunity to become citizens.

This is the very same person. This person, his name is Alonso Guillen. He was a DACA. He died coming to Houston during Hurricane Harvey trying to save lives. Cesar Espinosa, who organized a civil rights organization, is a DACA recipient, and the EMS person who worked with us during Hurricane Harvey, or Liberians on deferred status, and TPS persons.

Let me just say, support this because it is the right thing to do. They are not terrorists. It is not amnesty.

Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security, as an original cosponsor of legislation to extend the full promise of America to Dreamers, and a representative of a state on the southern border, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6, the ``American Dream and Promise Act of 2019,'' and the underlying legislation.

The American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 establishes a roadmap to U.S. citizenship for (1) immigrant youth and (2) current or potential holders of (a) temporary protected status (TPS) or (b) deferred enforced departure (DED).

Ensuring a path to earned citizenship is a non-negotiable principle for me and the sine qua non of meaningful immigration reform legislation.

Indeed, providing a path to earned access to citizenship has been a central feature of every comprehensive immigration reform bill I have co-sponsored or sponsored in the Congress since 2007 when I became Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and introduced the ``Save America Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, (H.R. 1525),'' which I have reintroduced in each succeeding Congress.

Like H.R. 6, Section 501 of my legislation provides a path to earned legalization status to those undocumented immigrants who have resided in the United States for 5 years and meet other eligibility requirements.

Mr. Speaker, as we stand today on the precipice of passing the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, I am thinking of the hundreds of thousands of young immigrants whose lives will be changed for the better by keeping our promise to them, so they can realize their dreams and making America better, stronger, and more prosperous.

And at this moment, I am thinking of Alonso Guillen, an heroic DREAMER who lived in my congressional district, and who came to the United States from Mexico as a child and died when his boat capsized while he was rescuing survivors of the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area.

That is the type of courage, honor, and commitment to service we are talking when we speak of DREAMERS.

Mr. Speaker, Title I of H.R. 6, the Dream Act of 2019, contains provisions regarding relief for immigrant youth.

Title II of the bill, American Promise Act of 2019, contains provisions related to persons eligible Temporary Protected Stats (TPS) or Deferred Enforcement Departure; the third and final title contains general provisions that apply to both Titles I & II).

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6 because it keeps America's word to the more than 800,000 young people we asked to come out of the shadows and walk proudly and unashamedly as legitimate members of the American community.

The legislation does this by providing conditional permanent resident (CPR) status and a roadmap to lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and, eventually, earned U.S. citizenship for immigrant youth who entered the U.S. before age 18, have four or more years of residency, and graduated from high school (or the equivalent).

H.R. 6 also provides an opportunity to apply for LPR status for people who currently have or who may be eligible for TPS or DED and who have three or more years of residency.

Mr. Speaker, individuals who are eligible for protection under the bill have lived in the United States for much of their lives; the average Dreamer came to the United States at the age of 8, while the average TPS- or OED-eligible person arrived in 1997.

Without permanent protections such as those in H.R. 6, the future of these immigrants, and their families, are at risk in the United States--as well as the fiscal and economic contributions they make.

Passing this legislation is the right thing to do and now is the time to do it; in fact, it is long overdue.

I am mindful also, Mr. Speaker, that in addition to helping restore America's reputation as the most welcoming nation on earth, the legislation the House will pass also positions America to better compete and win in the global economy of the 21st century.

According to expert studies, including one by the Center for American Progress, ending deferred action for childhood arrivals would result in a loss of $460.3 billion from the national GDP over the ensuing decade and would remove an estimated 685,000 workers from the nation's economy and workforce at a time when more, not fewer, workers are desperately needed.

And 10 states, including my home state of Texas, would stand to lose more than $8 billion annually in state GDP.

Mr. Speaker, immigrants eligible for protection under H.R. 6 are part of Texas's social fabric.

Texas is home to 386,300 immigrants who are eligible for protection under the Dream and Promise Act, 112,000 of whom reside in Harris County.

These individuals live with 845,300 family members and among those family members, 178,700 are U.S.-born citizen children.

Dreamers in Texas who are eligible for protection under the bill arrived in the United States at the average age of 8.

TPS- and DED-eligible immigrants in Texas who would be eligible for protection under H.R. 6 have on average lived in the United States since 1996.

Immigrants eligible for the Dream and Promise Act own 43,500 homes in Texas and pay $340,500,000 in annual mortgage payments.

Eligible immigrants in Texas and their households contribute $2,234,800,000 in federal taxes and $1,265,200,000 in state and local taxes each year.

Annually, these households generate $10,519,000,000 in spending power in Texas and help power the national economy.

Mr. Speaker, let me highlight some of the more important provisions of the American Dream and Promise Act.

H.R. 6 helps young persons in the following ways:

1. Extends the length of conditional permanent resident (CPR) status from eight to ten years to give applicants more time to fulfill requirements;

2. Stays the removal of minors who are not yet eligible for relief but may become eligible in the future and who temporarily unenroll from school;

3. Permits people with CPR to obtain legal permanent resident (LPR) status without satisfying the employment, military, or educational tracks if their deportation would cause ``hardship'' to themselves or immediate family members (instead of ``extreme hardship'');

4. Includes apprenticeship programs as a qualifying education to obtain CPR status;

5. Eliminates the costly medical examination for applicants;

6. Establishes a fee ceiling of $495 for immigrant youth applying for CPR status;

7. Clarifies that people with CPR can access professional, commercial, and business licenses;

8. Permits people with CPR who obtain a certificate or credential from an area career and technical education school to obtain LPR status; and

9. Updates the criminal background bars and inadmissibility requirements.

Additionally, H.R. 6 provides LPR status to CPR holders who (1) serve in the uniformed services for two years; (2) complete two years at or obtain a degree from an institution of higher education; or (3) work 75 percent of the time in CPR.

Another important feature of this legislation is that makes it easier for states to provide in-state tuition to immigrant students and establishes that CPR-holders are eligible for federal loans, work study, services, and grants.

For persons with TPS or DED status, the American Dream and Promise Act provides much needed relief.

First, H.R. 6 provides LPR status for people with TPS or DED (and those who were eligible but did not apply) who apply within three years from the date of enactment if they (1) had at least three years of continuous residence (as well as residence since the date required the last time that the person's nation of origin was designated) and (2) were eligible for or had (a) TPS on September 25, 2016, or (b) DED on September 28, 2016.

This protection covers nationals of 13 countries: El Salvador, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

I believe similar protections should be extended to Guatemalan nationals in our country, which is why I will soon reintroduce the ``Continue American Safety Act,'' which extends TPS status to Guatemala and I look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve this outcome.

Second, H.R. 6 classifies people with TPS or DED as inspected and admitted for the purposes of Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) section 245(a), making it easier to obtain LPR status through existing channels (e.g., a family-based petition).

Third, H.R. 6 stays the removal or deportation of an individual while an application is pending.

Fourth, the American Dream and Promise Act establishes a fee ceiling of $1,140 for people with TPS or DED applying for LPR status.

Fifth, the legislation provides greater transparency by requiring the Secretary of the Homeland Security (DHS) to provide an explanation for and report within three days of publishing notice to terminate TPS designation for certain nationals.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6 is exceptional legislation and a welcome development but is not a substitute for undertaking the comprehensive reform and modernization of the nation's immigration laws supported by the American people.

Only Congress can do that and passage of H.R. 6 shows that this House has the will and is up to the challenge.

Comprehensive immigration reform is desperately needed to ensure that Lady Liberty's lamp remains the symbol of a land that welcomes immigrants to a community of immigrants and does so in a manner that secures our borders and protects our homeland.

Mr. Speaker, let us build on the historic legislation that is the American Dream and Promise Act and seize the opportunity to pass legislation that secures our borders, preserves America's character as the most open and welcoming country in the history of the world, and will yield hundreds of billions of dollars in economic growth.

I urge all Members to join me in voting for H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, there is a crisis at the border. There has been a crisis at the border for weeks. And instead of addressing the crisis, instead of having a hearing in the committee, Democrats have passed bills that defund the police, restrict Americans' Second Amendment liberties, and federalize election law. And not one of those bills--by the way, not one of those bills went through committee.

In fact, the Judiciary Committee--74 days of this Congress, the full Judiciary Committee has yet to have a hearing on anything. We have asked to have a hearing on the border crisis, the real crisis. We asked to have a hearing on cancel culture, the attack on peoples' First Amendment liberties. We asked to have a hearing on conservatorships. No full committee hearing this entire Congress, but they can pass bills to defund the police, restrict Americans' Second Amendment liberties, Federalize election law. And now, while there is a crisis on the border, they bring a bill to the floor that gives amnesty to 3 million illegal aliens.

Seventy-four days of the 117th Congress, the Democrats have taken away the Republicans' right to offer a motion to recommit; they have kicked Marjorie Taylor Greene off a committee; two Democrats wrote a letter trying to cancel ``Fox News,'' ``Newsmax,'' and ``One America News.'' The Democratic chair of the House Administration Committee compiled a dossier on 140 Republican Members, and they are preparing to steal an election from Republican Congresswoman Miller-Meeks.

And today, they are going to pass a bill--try to pass a bill which, as I said before, gives amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. We have got gang members crossing the border. We have got people whose name is on the terrorist watch list crossing the border. We have got COVID positive illegals crossing the border.

We have had 100,000 encounters with foreigners on the border in February alone. Housing illegal immigrants in the Dallas Convention Center; the administration sending FEMA in to help. Even though they refuse to call the crisis a crisis, they are sending in the disaster agency to help with the situation. If that is not a crisis, frankly, I don't know what one is.

A crisis that President Trump, 2 months ago, told us was coming. I want to read what President Trump said in January. Two months ago, this is what President Trump said: ``If our border security measures are reversed, it will trigger a tidal wave of illegal immigration, a wave like you've never seen before.'' Boy was that accurate.

If our border security measures are reversed. What has the Biden administration done? They placed a moratorium on deportation, they ended the Remain in Mexico program, and they have stopped building the wall. I think that is a reversal. I think that is a reversal of the measures that were put in place. What did it trigger? A tidal wave of illegal immigration, a wave like you have never seen before. It sure did. The tidal wave is here, and the Democrats' answer is amnesty. Wow. Such a deal for the American people. Such a deal for the American taxpayer.

Democrats answer: Defund the police, attack Second Amendment liberties of Americans, federalize election law, try to cancel ``Fox News,'' ``Newsmax,'' ``One America News,'' compile a dossier on Republicans, kick one congresswoman off of her committees, and try to take an election from another, all while they are creating a crisis on the border, and then respond to it all with, what? A bill that gives amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. That is what this legislation does today.

Mr. Speaker, I hope we vote ``no.'' I hope we can stop this legislation. This is not what the American people bargained for. This is not common sense, and I hope we defeat this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock), who is the ranking member on the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. Speaker, I would just point out that the majority leader is not accurate in what he said. Republicans, 2 years ago, had bills that were much more comprehensive than what the Democrats are bringing to the floor this week. We had a bill that dealt with merit- based immigration, E-Verify, added workers to enforcement border security. It is just not accurate to say our plan was not comprehensive. We had two bills, as the Republican leader mentioned.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the Republican leader.

Mr. Speaker, I will just point out, I was at the border 2 years ago, the Rio Grande; Mr. Roy was at the border last week; Mr. McCarthy was at the border this week. The previous speaker, Mr. Speaker, said that Republicans didn't come when she invited. We have all been down there and seen what goes on. Just this week, we have been down there to see the current crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Bishop).

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the amount of time remaining for each side.

Madam Speaker, I will tell you what this bill does. Page 51, section 310: ``Grant program to assist eligible applicants. The Secretary shall establish, within U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, a program to award grants.''

So while there is a disaster on the border, so much so that we have to send FEMA there, this bill not only gives amnesty to illegals, it uses American tax dollars to help the illegals apply for amnesty.

Such a deal for the American taxpayer. That is what this legislation does. That is what this bill is about.

At a time when we have chaos on the border, this bill gives amnesty to 3 million illegals and uses American tax dollars to help those same illegals apply for the amnesty. I mean, the disrespect that the Democrats have for the American taxpayer is astounding to me. It is truly astounding.

I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Herrell).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meuser).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. McClain).

Madam Speaker, if we adopt the motion to recommit, we will instruct the Committee on the Judiciary to consider the amendment to H.R. 6 to ensure that gang members do not receive any benefits under the underlying bill and are swiftly removed from the country.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Hice).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the distinguished whip.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 233, I call up the bill (H.R. 6) to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain aliens, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 2\1/2\ minutes.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, is vital legislation that establishes a path to lawful permanent resident, or LPR, status for two critically important populations that are in dire need of protection.

The Dream Act creates an earned path to LPR status for Dreamers, individuals who entered the United States in their youth and who have lived here for most of their lives. Dreamers are part of the fabric of our Nation, aptly demonstrated by their commitment to bettering our country through the pursuit of education, military service, and employment.

It is undeniable that Dreamers enrich our Nation. They are our neighbors and coworkers, they are classmates with our children, and they serve in our military with distinction. They are an essential part of our communities, where they contribute to our thriving economy and make America a stronger, more united, and more diverse Nation.

Similarly, the American Dream and Promise Act provides a path to LPR status for individuals who either held, or were eligible for temporary protective status, TPS, as of January 1, 2017; or deferred enforced departure, DED, as of January 20, 2021.

TPS is a form of humanitarian relief provided to individuals from countries experiencing dangerous conditions and crises. DED is like TPS, but it is derived solely from the President's constitutional powers to conduct foreign relations.

Like Dreamers, TPS and DED recipients are essential to our communities. Many of them have lived in the United States for decades. They make up a significant portion of the workforce in key industries, including construction, food service, and home healthcare. They contribute to the U.S. economy, not only through their work, but also through consumer spending and tax revenue, and they have been particularly essential in serving our country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I have no doubt that some of my Republican colleagues will stand before us today and use what they claim is a crisis at the border as an excuse not to support this bill. But let's get one thing straight, this legislation is not about the border, this legislation is about finally delivering on our promise to America's Dreamers and others who are equally deserving of our protection.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Nydia Velazquez, and Yvette Clarke, for their commitment to this important legislation, and to the millions of people this legislation will protect.

I hope that all my colleagues will stand up for them when it truly counts and will support H.R. 6 today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Escobar).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the House.

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Jones).

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Garcia).

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).

Madam Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).

I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez).

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz).

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Madam Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Manning).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

We do have a crisis in this country: the crisis consists of a shortage of workers. As our birth rate goes down, as our aging goes up, we have fewer and fewer workers. And since economists tell us that the number of workers is what produces prosperity, this is a crisis for the country.

Fortuitously, we have a situation where we have several million people in this country who are Americans, who have lived almost their entire lives in America, who, as was mentioned before, find out they weren't born in this country only when they apply for a driver's license when they are 18 years old. They are a resource for this country, and they ought to be legalized, which is what this bill does, so that we can utilize their talents properly and remain under rule of law.

Madam Speaker, organizations, associations, and industry leaders from across the political spectrum support passage of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021. They include among them: United We Dream, Service Employees International, the AFL-CIO--and these unions do not fear competition, they know it is good--the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Chamber of Commerce, Apple, and the National Education Association.

After closing the books on 4 years of disastrous and inhumane immigration policies, today we begin a new chapter, one based on compassion, reason, and the fundamental values we hold dear as Americans.

Passage of H.R. 6 is long overdue. Today's vote will dictate the future of millions of Dreamers and recipients of the TPS and DED and will greatly help the economy of this country.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and once again, I salute him for his leadership.

This is the third bill in 2 days that he has brought to the floor, yesterday for the ERA and Violence Against Women Act, and today, here we are with this legislation for the Dreamers.

Madam Speaker, this issue is near and dear to my heart but, more importantly, to my head. This is so important for our country.

Three years ago, I came to the floor and spoke about our Dreamers for 8 hours and 6 minutes. Have no fear, I will not use my Speaker's minute to that extent today. But I wish I could because I have so much to say about what Dreamers mean to America.

I rise with tremendous pride, joy, and hope this day as the House prepares to take this momentous step forward for our democracy by passing H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act.

I want to salute some of our leaders in Congress. As I acknowledged Mr. Nadler, the distinguished chair of the committee, let us also acknowledge Lucille Roybal-Allard, the godmother of this legislation, who carries forth a commitment to the newcomers to our country in her DNA, the same commitment of her father, the late Chairman Ed Roybal, as he championed newcomers to our Nation.

She has been with this legislation for 20 years that I know of, and it was she and Howard Berman who introduced it initially a generation ago. Ten years ago, she authored this legislation, and we were successful on the floor. We were successful in passing it in the House because of the leadership of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard but also Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez, who at the time was the chair of the Hispanic Caucus. The Hispanic Caucus really led the way and taught the Congress about what Dreamers mean to America, in case that had not been within the experience of our Members.

In this legislation today, Nydia Velazquez has the ``promise.'' This is Dreamers and promise. She has the promise, TPS and DED--again, very important to our country.

Yvette Clarke, from the Congressional Black Caucus, who is very much a part of all of this today, has the TPS piece of this.

I was so pleased to hear this morning CAPAC, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, have Congresswoman Strickland, of African- American and Korean descent, speak in terms of what this means to the Asian Pacific American community, something that Chair Judy Chu reminds us of every day.

This has now gone beyond the Hispanic Caucus, the Black Caucus, the Asian Pacific Caucus, and to all of us in the Congress. This legislation is protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients and honors the truth that immigrants are the constant reinvigoration of our country. When they come here with their hopes and dreams and aspirations, these parents bringing their children, their hopes and dreams and aspirations for a better future for their children, that courage, that determination, those aspirations are American traits. They all make America more American with all of that.

Indeed, they are true and legitimate heirs, these Dreamers are, of our Founders. E pluribus unum, from many, one, we talk about that all the time. Many in this Chamber have been part of the fight to protect our patriotic Dreamers for years.

As I said, when I stood here for 8 hours and 6 minutes, the longest speech on record in the House in history, I was reading letters that Members were handing me about the story of the Dreamers. As Mr. Stanton mentioned, they are teachers, professionals, CEOs, entrepreneurs. They contribute to our community in every way. I was so pleased to hear him talk about that because one of the first meetings I ever went to about Dreamers was under the leadership of one of the predecessors of our Members from Arizona, Congressman Ed Pastor. Chairman Pastor, Mr. Grijalva, and Harry Mitchell, all three, had a meeting at Arizona State University about helping these young people. That was in 2007.

So, this has been going on for a while. Next month, as I mentioned, marks the 20th year since the Dream Act was introduced by Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, and it was on a bipartisan basis. When we passed it 10 years ago, it was on a bipartisan basis. Sadly, we couldn't prevail with 60 votes in the Senate. But since then, millions of Americans have come together to organize and mobilize for Dreamers: labor leaders, the business community, faith organizations, national security officials, law enforcement, and more.

We often talk about Dreamers having the support of the three Bs: badges, in terms of law enforcement; Bible, in terms of faith-based; and the business community.

The true VIPs of the moment are the Dreamers and immigrants who have spoken out with great dignity and eloquence, refusing to be forced back into the shadows.

This determination has made a difference. It is their courage that is sending this legislation to the Senate and then to the President's desk.

Before I close, I want to acknowledge the work of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, the chair of the Immigration Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee. Zoe Lofgren is also the chair of House Administration, so I call her Madam Chair-Madam Chair. She has taught immigration law. She has been an immigration lawyer, and she chairs the Immigration Subcommittee. We could not be better served than by her intricate knowledge of immigration law, both on this legislation and legislation we will take up later, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. I thank Zoe Lofgren for that.

Again, Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients are American in every way. They have lived and worked in our country for decades, if not their entire lives. They are an integral thread in the fabric of our Nation. For the Dreamers, it is less time, for others more.

Dreamers power our businesses, our economy, and are CEOs and taxpayers, all of them. They advance innovation and America's technological edge as entrepreneurs and researchers. They protect our national security, military might, and servicemembers and civilian experts.

That is why I am so grateful to Chair Roybal-Allard, Chair Velazquez, Chair Judy Chu, and Congresswoman Strickland for advancing this legislation to help Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients.

So many on the front lines of the pandemic are frontline healthcare workers and first responders; transportation, sanitation, and food workers; and teachers. They give so much to our country.

These immigrant communities strengthen, enrich, and ennoble our Nation, and they must be allowed to stay. There is nothing partisan about protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients.

The Dream Act has long had bipartisan support in both Chambers. Support for TPS and DED recipients is also bipartisan in the country. Nearly three-quarters of the public support a path to citizenship.

I always love to quote President Reagan. In his last speech as President of the United States, this was his last message as President to the American people. He said: ``Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we are a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.''

I urge a bipartisan vote.