DREAM Act Passes the House; Reid calling for Cloture Vote in the Senate

The House passed the DREAM Act this evening with a 216-198 vote. Harry Reid is now expected to immediately call for a Cloture Vote in the Senate on the DREAM Act.  Passage in the Senate may not be as easy, as some early DREAM Act supporters are now having second thoughts on supporting the bill.

From The Salt Lake Tribune --

....supporters of the DREAM Act remain pessimistic of its chances, in large part because of Republicans such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, who have promised to vote against the bill even though they have co-sponsored the legislation in years past.

“It’s a huge disappointment when someone who has been a huge champion on an issue walks away from it,” said Karen Crompton, the executive director of Voices for Utah Children. “I can’t explain it.”

Hatch says he is not walking away from the issue, even if he opposes the latest version of a bill he first sponsored in 2001.

“I just personally feel that it is brought up at this time for pure political purposes and I resent that,” said Hatch, who added that if Democrats were serious about solving the problem they wouldn’t have waited until the waning days of a post-election session to bring the issue to a vote.

Hatch is not the only Utah elected official to previously support a version of the DREAM Act only to turn against it now. More....

The DREAM Act, at an estimated cost of over $6.2 Billion, will be a fiscal and legal nightmare. And, regardless of what the liberal pundits and supporters of  DREAM Act say creates a free and clear path equal to amnesty for illegal immigrants.  

Support for the DREAM Act, as you can see above, in the Senate is wavering.  We must continue hammering away at the Senate with our phone calls, faxes and emails. Please contact the below list of targeted Senators and urge them to vote no for Cloture on the DREAM Act

Targeted Senators

Sen. Sherrod Brown

DC Office Phone: (202) 224-2315 / DC Fax: (202) 228-6321

Cleveland Office Phone: (216) 522-7272 / Cleveland Fax: (216) 522-2239

Email: http://brown.senate.gov/contact/

 

Sen. George Voinovich

DC Office Phone: (202) 224-3353 / no fax provided

Cleveland Office: (216) 522-7095/ Cleveland Fax: (216) 522-7097

E-mail: http://voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

 

Sen. George LeMieux (FL)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-3041 / Local Office Phone: 904-398-8586

(Recently, LeMieux stated he is voting "No." We must continue to call him and reinforce his decision.)

 

Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-5344 / Local Office Phone: 207-874-0883

 

Sen. Susan Collins (ME)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-2523 / Local Office Phone: 207-945-0417

 

Sen. Scott Brown (MA)

DC Office Phone: (202) 224-4543 / Local Office Phone: (617) 565-3170

 

Sen. John Ensign (NV)

DC Office Phone: (202) 224-6244 / Local Office Phone: (702) 388-6605

 

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-5922 / Local Office Phone: 214-361-3500

(According to staff, Hutchison will vote against the DREAM Act in its present form.)

 

Sen. John McCain (AZ)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-2235 / Local Office Phone: 480-897-6289

 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK)

DC Office Phone: 202-224-6665 / Local Office Phone: 907-271-3735

 

Sen. Sam Brownback

DC Office Phone: 202-224-6521 / Local Office Phone: 785-233-2503