Release: Welle Calls for Congress to Discharge Dream Act

Press Release

As Congress continues its debate on the fate of the DREAMers, a community of persons who immigrated to the United States as children and were granted conditional residency, Josh Welle, a Democratic candidate for New Jersey's 4th Congressional District, stands firm in his resolve to defend a path to citizenship.

"The livelihoods and protection of our nation's children should be a bipartisan issue. If I were privileged to be the Representative of the 4th District, I would sign the petition to discharge the DREAM Act and put it on the floor for a vote. Chris Smith voted in 2014 to dismantle the DACA program and he remains silent as the current administration threatens New Jersey workers and their families. Central New Jersey deserves a new generation of leaders who will put service first and focus on problem-solving over ideology."

In February, House Speaker Ryan committed to finding a solution for the hundreds of thousands of DREAMers whose lives where upended when President Trump ended the DACA program in September 2017. However, an opportunity for Congress to vote on legislation to fix the problem has yet to materialize. Over 80% of the American public believes that DREAMers should be allowed to stay in the U.S. and apply for Citizenship. Many on both sides of the isle in the House and the Senate support a solution for DREAMers. Despite this mandate, Republicans have failed to act for DREAMers.

Currently, 213 Representatives, have signed a discharge petition to effectuate a process that will allow for a House floor vote on the four DREAM Act-related bills in the upcoming months. Nonetheless, the DREAM Act bills won't move forward without the support of 218 members of Congress. Welle calls on Smith to lead on issues that matter to the constituents in the district and stop hiding from his responsibilities.

Josh Welle is an Annapolis graduate, Afghanistan veteran, Commander in the Navy Reserve, and former founder of a technology company. He was raised in Wall Township and is a Democratic candidate for New Jersey's 4th Congressional District competing to unseat 37-year incumbent Chris Smith. He lives with his wife, Angela, in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

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