83R19722 BPG-D
By: Alonzo H.R. No. 1373
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the United States of America
has been a nation of immigrants, and throughout its history,
immigrants have played vital roles in all fields of endeavor,
including education, health, commerce, defense, science, culture,
and the arts; and
WHEREAS, Our country has long supported the assimilation of
newcomers, but the current immigration system has grown complex and
dysfunctional; today, an estimated 2.1 million undocumented youth
reside in the United States, having entered the country as
children; they recognize no other home, but their status deprives
them of the opportunity to pursue an education or to otherwise
contribute to American society; and
WHEREAS, In 2001, the Development, Relief, and Education for
Alien Minors Act, better known as the DREAM Act, was introduced in
the U.S. Congress to create a viable pathway to citizenship for
certain individuals who grew up in the United States; this
bipartisan legislation would require individuals who arrived in
this country as undocumented minors to satisfy certain conditions,
among them graduating from high school or earning a GED and
attending college or serving in our country's armed forces; in
addition, successful candidates for citizenship would have to
demonstrate good moral character and pay appropriate fees; and
WHEREAS, Through its provisions, the DREAM Act would foster
higher levels of education in the workforce, greatly benefiting a
broad range of employers, including business, health care,
government, and the military; many young immigrants are also fluent
in two or more languages, and these linguistic skills are extremely
valuable in an increasingly globalized economy; according to some
estimates, passage of the DREAM Act could boost the American
economy anywhere from $1.4 trillion to $3.6 trillion in income over
a 40-year period; and
WHEREAS, Americans from across the political spectrum have
endorsed the DREAM Act, which would yield significant societal and
economic benefits while promoting fundamental principles of
fairness; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby urge the United States Congress to pass the
DREAM Act; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the chief clerk forward official copies of
this resolution to the president of the United States, to the
president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record
as a memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.