DREAM Act is Dead: A Procedural Note about H.R. 5281

Michelle Malkin has the story that was swirling around the nets this weekend after the DREAM Act was blocked on Saturday.

There is a bit of confusion on the Internet that needs to be cleared up about the Democrats’ plans for the DREAM Act.

A number of readers have pointed to a weekend post at FreeRepublic.com warning that the DREAM Act is “hidden” in another bill, H.R. 5281.

Senate staff explained to me today that DREAM was passed as an amendment to HR 5281 in the House and it was sent over as a “message,” which gave it privileged status so the Senate didn’t have to vote on a motion to proceed (simply a cloture vote). My Senate staff source added that it essentially gave the Democrats an avenue to bypass a procedural hurdle in the Senate, but since the Senate failed to proceed to the 3rd amendment (the DREAM Act), it is dead and HR 5281 does not
include it.

Vigilance for open border type illegal alien amnesty is warranted, indeed – since this DREAM Act and other legislation is bound to return.

Now, it is time to go on offense.