Statement on Senate Passage of Immigration Bill

Washington, DC (June 27, 2013) — Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the Senate passage of immigration bill:

"I am pleased that the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration bill today and brought our nation one step closer to immigration reform. Today's vote is a major step toward fixing our broken immigration system and keeping families together. This victory is a tribute to the courageous grassroots advocates and determined leaders, like my Senator Dick Durbin, who helped craft this bipartisan legislation.

"Most importantly, the Senate bill brings 11 million undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and provides a pathway to citizenship. I have some concerns with specific policies in the bill — language inserted blocking immigrants from accessing Social Security benefits they earned before gaining legal status, provisions denying immigrants in legal provisional status access to Obamacare subsidies which make health insurance more affordable. I hope that we can work with the Senate to address these shortcomings in the future.

"Now, the House must act. We must take up a comprehensive immigration bill — one that includes a pathway to citizenship and keeps families together. I strongly urge Speaker Boehner to act quickly to bring up comprehensive immigration reform."

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