The 100 member U.S. Senate considered the DREAM Act today and failed to pass it by a vote of 55 yes, 41 no, 4 absent. (60 votes were needed for the measure to invoke cloture, which would have concluded debate on the matter so it could proceed to a vote for or against passage.)

The DREAM Act (H.R. 5281) would have provided citizenship to young people under 30 years old who illegally came to this country with their parents (under the age of 16), by attending college or serving in the U.S. military for 2 years. The bill required people applying for DREAM Act status to pay a $525 fee and an additional $2,000 fee is required after five years.

I reported on this measure when it passed the U.S. House of Representatives on December 8, by a close vote of 216 to 198.

I also wrote a follow-up blog about the 8 House Republicans who voted for it (click here).

The U.S. Senate is currently composed of 56 Democrats, 42 Republicans, and 2 Independents.

Arizona’s U.S.Senators, John McCain and Jon Kyl are both Republicans, and voted against cloture today.

http://cspan.org/Events/Senate-Works-into-the-Weekend-on-Last-Minute-Legislation/10737418303-1/

U.S. Senator Majority Whip Democratic Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) just spoke in favor on the Dream Act. Republican Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) just spoke against it. Lastly Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) spoke in favor of it.

U.S.Senate voting right now, stay tuned for results. 60 votes needed for passage on cloture vote.

Debate started at 10 a.m. EST in the 100 member U.S. Senate.

The Dream Act (H.R. 5281) passed the U. S. House of Representatives on December 8, by a close vote of 216 to 198.

The DREAM Act would provide a pathway to citizenship to young people under 30 years old who illegally came to this country with their parents (under the age of 16), by attending college or serving in the U.S. military for 2 years. The bill requires people applying for DREAM Act status to pay a $525 fee and an additional $2,000 fee is required after five years.

The House of Representatives approved a bill that would grant thousands of young, illegal immigrants the chance to become American citizens Wednesday night.

Called the DREAM Act, the proposal would permit young people brought illegally into the U.S. by their parents the opportunity for citizenship. However, that’s contingent on them completing two years of college or military service.
The vote was 216 to 198.

The White House lobbied hard for the bill’s passage, lauding it as a step towards a comprehensive reform of the nation’s immigration laws.

Supporters say the measure would strengthen the U.S. economy and boost military readiness.

Critics contend that the legislation offers what they call “amnesty” for illegal immigrants.

The Senate plans a vote Thursday to try to summon the DREAM Act to the Senate floor. It is expected to fail.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), one of the main backers of the DREAM Act, believes this is the last chance he has to pull this legislation across the finish line.

“Once the Congress of the United States changes hands and the House of Representatives is in the hands of the Republican Party, I don’t see any movement on comprehensive immigration reform,” Gutierrez said.

Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/12/08/house-passes-dream-act-immigration-measures#ixzz17ZuNivyy</

Stay tuned for updates from blogger 3 Sonorans.