STATEMENT BY UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
by PRESIDENT JOE HANSEN
Washington DC—Today, 41 U.S. Senators obstructed the passage of the
Dream Act and sent a message to the rest of the world that politics
trumps fundamental American principles of fairness, opportunity, and
justice. They rejected bipartisan legislation that, had it been passed,
would have provided undocumented young women and men who were brought to
the U.S. as young children with a pathway to U.S. citizenship if they
attend college or perform military service. Every Republican Senator,
except Senator Lugar, as well as Democratic Senators Max Baucus, Kay
Hagan, Ben Nelson, Mark Pyror, and Jon Tester walked away from their
responsibilities to lead.
The unique fabric of American society—hard work, entrepreneurship,
loyalty to country, ingenuity and invention—stitched together by
generations of immigrants will continue to endure regardless of this
disheartening vote. The dreams of young people will not be checked, and
the UFCW will continue to fight for a broad and bipartisan coalition to
restore the American Dream and pass the Dream Act.
UFCW News Service
www.ufcw.org