Senate again blocks ‘Dream’ Act from consideration

A bill that would have given the children of illegal immigrants assistance toward higher education as well as amnesty was blocked in the U.S. Senate in late October for the second time this fall.

Senator Dick Durbin’s ‘Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act,’ DREAM Act for short, again failed to gain cloture. A vote on a motion to begin debate on the bill fell eight votes short of the 60 necessary to advance the legislation in the Senate. Eight Democrats joined 36 Republicans to block the bill, while 12 Republicans, two independents and 38 Democrats supported it.

The bill would have provided amnesty for those completing two years of higher education or two years of military service, and it would have continued to create incentives for illegal immigrants to cross the border with their children. "I do not believe we should reward illegal behavior," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.