Skip to main content

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Hails House Passage of Budget Resolution

August 24, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair (CHC) Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) and CHC Immigration Executive Orders and Budget Reconciliation Sub-Task Force Co-Chairs Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the subsequent statements following the House passage of the FY2022 Budget Resolution, which includes instructions to include immigration reform provisions. As co-chairs of the Immigration Executive Orders and Budget Reconciliation Sub-Task Force, Rep. Espaillat and Rep. Escobar, in collaboration with Chair Dr. Ruiz, have worked to ensure that immigration remains at the forefront of priorities since the start of budget reconciliation process.

"The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) applauds the passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Resolution," said Chair Dr. Ruiz. "Today, we took a momentous step forward in advancing the Build Back Better Act. We are now closer than ever before to passing top CHC priorities, such as immigration reform, tax cuts for working families, climate change solutions, and safe and reliable child care. The CHC will continue to use every tool at its disposal to enact critical policies to improve the lives of millions of Hispanic families across America."

"We have said it before, and we will say it again to reiterate that immigrants are essential – to our economic recovery and to the livelihood of our nation," said Rep. Espaillat, Co-Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Executive Orders and Budget Reconciliation Sub-Task Force. "For far too long, more than 11 million immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, have waited in limbo while facing numerous obstacles along the path to legal status and citizenship. This is our moment to deliver, and today's House passage of this rule is a monumental step forward in our efforts to ensure the American dream remains viable and access to all. While the path forward is long, we urge our colleagues to stand with us and vow to use every tool in our legislative and parliamentary reach to provide a real pathway to citizenship through budget reconciliation – and carry this legislation over the finish line."

"The passage of the rule to start consideration of the FY22 budget resolution puts our nation on the path toward bringing the American Dream within reach for millions," said Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Co-Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Executive Orders and Budget Reconciliation Sub-Task Force. "Immigrants are an essential part of our nation and including pathways to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, farmworkers, and essential workers not only honors our values but would reduce the deficit, raise wages, and create jobs as our nation recovers from the pandemic. Congress must seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and I am determined to continue working alongside my colleague Congressman Espaillat, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the House Democratic Caucus to send this legislation to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature."

Following passage of the FY2022 Budget Resolution, the House will now formally begin the budget reconciliation process, which includes instructions for inclusion of immigration reform provisions.

Read the summary on the reconciling instructions here.

Read the resolution text here.

###

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.