Jim McGovern

Mr. McGOVERN

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from over 500 business leaders in support of DACA who oppose what the President did yesterday and who are upset at Congress for its inaction. Open Letter From Leaders of American Industry on DACA August 31, 2017 To: President Donald J Trump To: Speaker Paul Ryan; Leader Nancy Pelosi; Leader Mitch McConnell; and Leader Charles E. Schumer As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we are concerned about new developments in immigration policy that threaten the future of young undocumented immigrants brought to America as children. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allows nearly 800,000 Dreamers the basic opportunity to work and study without the threat of deportation, is in jeopardy. All DACA recipients grew up in America, registered with our government, submitted to extensive background checks, and are diligently giving back to our communities and paying income taxes. More than 97 percent are in school or in the workforce, 5 percent started their own business, 65 percent have purchased a vehicle, and 16 percent have purchased their first home. At least 72 percent of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies count DACA recipients among their employees. Unless we act now to preserve the DACA program, all 780,000 hardworking young people will lose their ability to work legally in this country, and every one of them will be at immediate risk of deportation. Our economy would lose $460.3 billion from the national GDP and $24.6 billion in Social Security and Medicare tax contributions. Dreamers are vital to the future of our companies and our economy. With them, we grow and create jobs. They are part of why we will continue to have a global competitive advantage. We call on President Trump to preserve the DACA program. We call on Congress to pass the bipartisan DREAM Act or legislation that provides these young people raised in our country the permanent solution they deserve.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, next, I include in the Record an article that appeared on the National Public Radio web page, entitled, ``Microsoft President to Trump: To Deport a DREAMer, You'll Have to Go Through Us.'' [From NPR, Sept. 5, 2017] Microsoft President to Trump: To Deport A DREAMer, You'll Have To Go Through Us America's business leaders are speaking out against President Trump's move to end DACA. The president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, took a notable stand. He said not only will his company lobby for a legislative solution but also that Microsoft is calling on Congress to make immigration the top priority, before tax reform. And he is calling on other business leaders to follow suit. ``There is nothing that we will be pushing on more strongly for Congress to act on,'' Smith said in an interview with NPR. ``We put a stake in the ground. We care about a tax reform bill. The entire business community cares about a tax reform. And yet it is very clear today a tax reform bill needs to be set aside until the DREAMers are taken care of. They have a deadline that expires in six months. Tax reform can wait.'' Smith also said if the government moves to deport DREAMers who are Microsoft employees, ``it's going to have to go through us to get that person.'' This is the second time in a week that Smith has spoken out. Last Thursday, Smith and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella both issued statements calling on the administration to preserve DACA. Nadella, a first-generation immigrant from India, struck a personal note: ``I am a product of two uniquely American attributes: the ingenuity of American technology reaching me where I was growing up, fueling my dreams, and the enlightened immigration policy that allowed me to pursue my dreams.'' Meanwhile, in a letter to employees this morning, Apple CEO Tim Cook said more than 250 Apple workers are affected by the DACA repeal and that he has been hearing from them all weekend. ``I want to assure you that Apple will work with members of Congress from both parties to advocate for a legislative solution that provides permanent protections for all the Dreamers in our country,'' Cook said. Dozens of CEOs including Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Reed Hastings from Netflix, Randall Stephenson from AT&T and Tim Sloan of Wells Fargo wrote a letter addressed to the president asking him to preserve the program. The leaders argued that all DACA recipients grew up in America and give back to the community and pay income taxes. They said: ``More than 97 percent are in school or in the workforce, 5 percent started their own business, 65 percent have purchased a vehicle, and 16 percent have purchased their first home. At least 72 percent of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies count DACA recipients among their employees.'' In a public post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said about Trump's announcement: ``This is a sad day for our country'' and that he and his immigration advocacy vehicle at Fwd.US will be ``doing even more in the weeks ahead to make sure Dreamers have the protections they deserve.'' Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google (an arm of Alphabet), did not make quite the same commitment on Twitter. But he took a moral stand, writing, ``Dreamers are our neighbors, our friends and our co-workers. This is their home. Congress needs to act now to #DefendDACA. #WithDreamers.'' When President Trump was first elected, leaders in the tech industry were reluctant to criticize campaign pledges of his that went against their values and interests. They took a wait-and-see approach and grappled with how to be a successful multinational in an increasingly nationalistic world. Tuesday morning's outpouring illustrates a clear shift in business leaders' willingness to speak out against decisions by the administration. Microsoft's Smith says in the beginning of 2017, business leaders looked around and wondered how they would navigate this new unpredictable environment. They feared being attacked by the commander in chief on social media. Now, Smith says, ``I don't think people get up in the morning worrying about tweets. We have much bigger problems to worry about than that.''

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I also include in the Record a letter to Members of Congress from The United States Conference of Mayors strongly objecting to what the President did. The United States Conference of Mayors, Washington, DC, September 5, 2017. An Open Letter to the Congress on Dreamers from America's Mayors Dear Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate: We write on behalf of the nation's mayors to urge you to quickly pass bipartisan legislation that would enable Dreamers--people who have lived in America since they were children and built their lives here--to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship if they meet certain criteria. We pledge to work with you in this effort and to do whatever we can to assist you in seeing it enacted into law. This June at the 85th Annual Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors, we adopted strong policy supporting permanent legal status for Dreamers and extension of the DACA program We did this because it is the right thing to do--for Dreamers, for our communities and for our country. DACA has benefitted nearly 800,000 undocumented youth since it began in 2012. With work authorization and without the fear of deportation, these young people, who have done nothing illegal, have been able to participate in and contribute to our country, our cities and the nation's economy: Eighty-seven percent of DACA recipients are employed by American businesses, and six percent have started their own businesses, leading to higher wages and better economic outcomes. DACA recipients contribute 15.3 percent of their wages to taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare, and DACA recipients are investing in assets like houses, and starting new businesses, bringing significant tax revenue to cities and states. It is expected that DACA recipients will contribute $9.9 billion in tax contributions over the next four years, and at least $433.4 billion to our gross domestic product (GDP) over the next decade. There is broad public support for Dreamers: Sixty-four percent of Americans support letting ``Dreamers'' remain in the U.S. Seventy-one percent of Americans feel undocumented immigrants working in the U.S. should be offered a chance to apply for legal status. Seventy-five percent of Americans who voted for the President support Dreamers. Because of the Trump Administration's decision to terminate DACA in six months, this legislation must be passed as quickly as possible so that the benefits to Dreamers, to our cities, and to our nation can continue. It would remove Dreamers' fears of deportation and allow them to contribute even more to the country they love, which for many is the only country they have known. They would be able to reach their full potential in many ways, including serving in the military. The U.S. Conference of Mayors pledges to work with you to make this happen. Sincerely, Mitchell J. Landrieu, Mayor of New Orleans, President. Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, Chair, USCM Latino Alliance. Jorge Elorza, Mayor of Providence, Co-Chair, Immigration Reform Task Force. Tom Tait, Mayor of Anaheim, Co-Chair, Immigration Reform Task Force. John Giles, Mayor of Mesa, Trustee. Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an article about Alonso Guillen, a DREAMer who died trying to rescue Harvey flood victims. [From the LA Times, Sept. 4, 2017] `Dreamer' Dies Trying To Rescue Harvey Flood Victims (By Molly Hennessy-Fiske) Alonso Guillen drove more than 100 miles south from his home in Lukfin, Texas, last week, determined to help those trapped by Hurricane Harvey flooding in the Houston area. But he and another man disappeared after their boat capsized in a flood-swollen creek Wednesday, and relatives began searching for their bodies. On Friday, searchers found the body of Tomas Carreon, 25, of Lufkin. On Sunday, relatives spotted Guillen's body. ``He was floating in the water,'' his brother Jesus Guillen, 36, a Lufkin truck driver, said in Spanish during a phone interview. Luis Ortega, 22, of Lufkin, who survived the boat accident, told searchers the men had been swept away by a powerful current. Ortega barely escaped by grabbing a floating gas tank, then a tree. Relatives said Guillen, a Mexican national, was a ``Dreamer'' enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Trump is said to be poised to scrap, though he may leave it intact for six months to give Congress time to find a legislative solution. (Ortega is a U.S. citizen, as was Carreon, Guillen's brother said.) Guillen moved to Lufkin at age 14 from just across the border in Piedras Negras, Mexico. He later graduated from Lufkin High School, attended St. Patrick's Catholic Church, worked in construction and at a local club, Rodeo Disko, and radio station, SuperMix 101.9 FM. He was known as ``DJ Ocho,'' who mixed country and hip-hop, followed Texans football and the Houston Astros, played softball and soccer, sported Cowboy hats and red, white and blue sunglasses. He used the station to organize fundraisers for those in need. ``It didn't matter what situation it was,'' said friend Linda Alvarez. Guillen masterminded the rescue trip to the Houston area just like one of his radio station fundraisers: on the fly, with friends' help. After the storm hit, they borrowed a boat and drove south to save strangers. Like many in Texas, Guillen's family has mixed immigration status and is divided by the border. His mother, a Mexican national, still lives in Piedras Negras, Mexico, with one of his brothers. His father is a legal resident, and his brother Jesus is a U.S. citizen. Alonso Guillen applied for DACA, an Obama-era program that protected from deportation about 800,000 immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. He applied because so many of his family and friends were in the U.S., and that's where he saw his future, his brother said. ``His dream was to open a restaurant, something the whole family could enjoy and where they could come together,'' his brother said. ``He was trying; he was always updated with the news about the Dreamer program. He was ready to get it fixed and done,'' friend Manny Muniz said of Guillen's immigration status. Muniz, a fellow disc jockey, met Guillen a few years ago in the midst of a more minor crisis: He had booked a gig and didn't have any speakers. Guillen lent him some, and they started working together. After the storm struck, Guillen started posting weather reports on Facebook. Early last week Guillen told Muniz he was headed to Houston, ``to go save lives, go help people, volunteer his time.'' Muniz said part of the reason Guillen applied for DACA and wanted to become a legal resident was that he longed to be able to cross the border legally to visit Mexico, especially his hometown. Instead, Guillen will be buried this week in Lufkin. He is survived by an 8-year-old daughter, Mariana, who lives in Guanajuato, Mexico, his brother said. Guillen's family is planning his funeral at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Guillen's mother may not be allowed to attend. The U.S. government has not granted her permission to cross the border for the service, relatives said. ``We hope that she can come, that they allow her to come,'' said Jesus Guillen's 14-year-old daughter, Zorayda. U.S. Customs and Border Protection tweeted condolences to Guillen's family Monday, calling him ``a rescue volunteer who died during Hurricane Harvey'' and promising to allow Guillen's mother to cross the border to attend his funeral. Jesus Guillen said he hopes the DACA program will not be dismantled. ``It gives people like my brother opportunities to be better, to have strength and believe in themselves and become what they want to be,'' he said.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that my friend doesn't like words like ``cruel'' when it comes to the President's actions with regard to the DREAMers. A man named Jesus Contreras, a Houston paramedic, helped rescue flood victims after the storm, Harvey, hit Texas. Now he faces deportation if stripped of his DACA protections. I don't know what you call that. I call it cruel. I can't imagine why anybody would want to take away this man's ability to be able to live his life in the only country he knows, a man who is saving lives. This is just one of many stories. We are telling these stories because we are hoping that maybe it might move some of my friends on the other side of the aisle. Maybe it might move the leadership to allow us to schedule a vote and actually fix this and remove the level of uncertainty and fear that, now, 800,000 people have to deal with because of what the President did yesterday and because of the inaction, over the years, of this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the gentleman neglected to mention that there were 227 amendments, Democratic and Republican amendments, that were denied yesterday. The frustration that we have over here is that we are going through an exercise with these appropriations bills knowing that they are going nowhere and that we are going to have to deal with a short-term continuing resolution, and there will probably be a big omnibus that will be passed at the end and which might not reflect any of the deliberations that we are doing on the appropriations matters in the next couple of days. It is a little bit frustrating because we have other things to do. What we are saying is let's make this week a week of consequence, and let us bring up the DREAM Act. President Trump did something horrible yesterday. He basically pulled the rug right from underneath 800,000 good, decent, and law-abiding people, citizens in this country, good people who are American in every way except they don't have a piece of paper. They were brought here, in many instances, when they were infants. They now have businesses, are leading relief efforts in Texas, and serve in our military. And he pulled the rug right from underneath them all. It is a cruel, awful, and nasty thing to do. Listening to the rationale of this White House, this kind of schizophrenic tirade that we have seen unfold where 1 minute he is against the DREAMers, then he loves the DREAMers, then he is against the DREAMers, then he loves them, all of this kind of rambling that we have seen out of the White House hasn't changed the fact that he has thrown 800,000 lives in turmoil. People now have to live in fear and in uncertainty, and it is just a rotten thing to do. What we are saying is let's fix it. My friends say they didn't like what President Obama did through executive order. We tried to legislate. We did, in 2010, pass the DREAM Act here in the House. Republicans did their best to make sure we couldn't bring it to the floor in the Senate, but we tried that way. Then President Obama, thank goodness, stepped up to the plate and put forward an executive order which has protected 800,000 people. My friends say that they like the DREAMers and they want to help them. Well, let's help them. You guys are in charge. You can do anything you want. All we are asking for is a vote--that is it, a vote. The way we can ensure a vote is to defeat the previous question so we can bring up the DREAM Act. If you don't have the courage to bring it up yourself, then vote to defeat the previous question and we will bring it to the floor. We will have the debate, and you can vote any way you want. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez).

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter signed by 20 State attorneys general in strong opposition to what the President has done. State of California, Office of the Attorney General, Sacramento, CA, July 21, 2017. Re June 29, 2017 letter from Ken Paxton re Texas, et al., v. United States, et al., Case No. 1:14-cv-00254 (S.D. Tex.). Hon. Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, The White House, Washington,

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from 18 evangelical religious leaders and other religious leaders in opposition to President Trump's decision to end DACA. September 4, 2017. A Letter From Faith Leaders and Evangelicals for Biblical Immigration (.Com) President Donald J. Trump, The White House, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Honorable President Trump, Majority Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan: We agree that immigration reform and DACA are difficult subjects. God loves the foreigner. Indeed, God loves us all. It takes time to discern the balance of mercy and justice by which a nation thrives. It is easier to speak publically of mercy, as we, and many, do. And, while loving mercy, who will also stand for justice to those citizens who cannot find a job due to cheaper foreign labor? Who will speak of the real cost of illegal immigration to our states? And while many non-citizens are good neighbors, who will stand for justice for Americans victimized by people here illegally who do not uphold our values and laws? And who will prevent more needless crime and death? The Church is called to serve all people, and our Government leaders are elected to defend and uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. Though there are tragic stories on every side of illegal migration, for our elected officials, responsibility to oaths must prevail. Law and order sustain stability and peace. A nation of wise rule grows strong enough to sustain care for the vulnerable in our midst. While some faith groups use selective Bible words for open borders and amnesty, we consider the whole counsel of Scripture. We find that the Bible does not teach open borders, but wise welcome. We are to welcome the lawful foreigner, who, like a convert, comes as a blessing (eg.s Ruth and Rahab) We also find Nehemiah building walls to protect citizens from harm. In Isaiah 1, we see God condemning the destruction of borders and indigenous culture. All lives matter. The lives of North, Central and South Americans matter. The lives of Africans, Asians, Europeans and people from the Middle East matter. In Scripture, we learn that God placed us each in a family, a land, an epic story of creation, the fall and redemption. The Bible envisions a world of beautiful and unique nations, not a stateless ``open society'' run by global oligarchs. Each of us is called to be a blessing where God has placed us in the world. In policy decisions ahead, while treating undocumented people kindly, we ask that you would first and foremost honor often forgotten American citizens whose families have served our nation for many generations, and the patient people who have applied lawfully to come here and to become citizens of the United States. These lives also matter. These people also dream. Gratefully Yours, Names are listed alphabetically and for identification purposes only. David Barton, Founder, WallBuilders; Timothy Barton, President, WallBuilders; Paul Blair, President, Reclaiming America for Christ; Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.), Executive Vice President, Family Research Council; Mark Christian M.D., Executive Director, Global Faith Institute; Phil Cohn, President, Christ for All Peoples; Steven Deace, CRTV host and Conservative Review contributor; Maria Espinoza, Co- founder & National Director, The Remembrance Project; Becky Gerritson, President, Wetumpka TEA Party (AL), Founder, Born Free American, LLC; E.W. Jackson, Bishop; Founder, Exodus Faith Ministries; Jerry Johnson, Ph.D, President, National Religious Broadcasters (NRB); Kelly Kullberg, American Association of Evangelicals (AAE); Eric Metaxas, Host of The Eric Metaxas Show; Samuel Rohrer, Pastor; President, American Pastors Network (APN), Former State Representative, Pennsylvania; Rick Scarborough, Ph.D, Founder, Vision America Action; Aubrey Shines, Bishop, International Communion of Evangelical Churches Pastor, Glory to Glory Ministries, Tampa, Florida; Elizabeth Yore, Esq., International Child Advocate; John Zmirak, Ph.D, Journalist; author, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, we just want to bring up the DREAM Act so we can resolve this issue today, but I am hoping that the gentleman would be more favorable than his predecessor. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. May I inquire how much time I have remaining, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), my colleague on the Rules Committee, for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, to discuss our proposal, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), the ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.

Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request.