House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke for a little more than eight hours to oppose the budget deal to lift spending caps and avert a government shutdown, because the plan does not address immigration issues.
“I have had the privilege of reading the testimony from Dreamers, I still have more,” she said, receiving applause in the chamber. “I thank all of you.”
Pelosi started speaking shortly after 10 a.m. ET, and wrapped the speech a little after 6:10 p.m. ET. The budget deal, which was proposed by Senate leaders on Wednesday, will require Democratic support to pass the House.
Pelosi said she opposed the spending deal because it doesn’t include a permanent solution for undocumented immigrants affected by DACA. In her speech, Pelosi shared statements from DREAMers about themselves and their successes in the US.
House Democrats will likely spend the next few days pushing to get a commitment from House Speaker Paul Ryan on floor consideration of DACA bills. Ryan’s position is not clear since he is hesitant to support anything that the president does not back, however this could change depending on whether the Democratic caucus is unified enough to keep him short of the 216 votes he needs to pass the deal.
Pelosi had previously worked with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the spending deal for weeks, but she turned around and rejected it.
“We have to be strong as a country … to respect the aspirations of people who are our future,” Pelosi said on the House floor. “The young people are our future and these dreamers are part of that. They’ve been enriched … by the greatness of our country.”
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