Today, Congressman Xavier Becerra (CA-34), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, released the following statement after Republicans stripped out a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have encouraged the Secretary of Defense to allow DACA-beneficiaries to serve in the military. The provision, authored by Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), was added to the NDAA in committee on a bipartisan vote on April 29, 2015:
"For many DREAMers, America is the only country they have ever known. These brave young men and women want to serve their country and add their talents to our nation's economy. Why would Congress go out of its way to stop some of our best and brightest from contributing to our society and aiding in the defense of our nation?
"I thank Rep. Ruben Gallego for his leadership in working to add this language to the defense bill. His proposal would be good for the military and good for America.
"We are in this situation today because Republicans continue to block commonsense immigration reform and the President's executive actions. Every day that Republicans ignore the issue of immigration reform is another day that our economy, our businesses, and our families lose out."