Bishop Anthony B. Taylor is again calling on Catholics in Arkansas to urge lawmakers in Washington to support the passage of the DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act. The bill would allow young people brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents before the age of 16 to apply for legal permanent residence and eventual citizenship as long as they completed two years of higher education or military service. The House approved the bill 216 to 198 on Dec. 8.
On Monday, Dec. 13, Bishop Taylor issued the following plea:
“By means of this message, I would like earnestly to request you make a personal phone call to Sen. Mark Pryor by Wednesday, Dec. 15 asking him to vote in favor of the DREAM Act, which may come up for a vote in the Senate as early as Thursday or Friday of this week. Up to now he is saying that he will vote ’No’ and one of the things his staff is saying is that ’they have not heard much from Central and South Arkansas.’ This is a matter on which the United States bishops are united and practically unanimous. My apology for this last-minute appeal, but it is urgent as I received a report Dec. 12 that Pryor remains a possible solid ’No’ vote. Thank you so much.”
The Senate telephone line that will automatically route callers to Pryor’s office is (866) 996-5161 (English) or (866) 961-4293 (Spanish). The message to Pryor should be simple, “Vote yes for DREAM Act…It is good for Arkansas.”