Wyden, Democrats intro bill to block ‘public charge’ rule
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, to introduce legislation that would prohibit the Trump administration from using federal funding to implement its so-called “public charge” rule.
Scheduled to go into effect in less than a month, on Oct, 15, Wyden said the “public charge” rule aims to prevent immigrants from coming to or staying in the United States based on factors such as their wealth, family size, age, skills, level of education, or ability to speak English.
“Donald Trump’s approach to immigration can best be summed up as cruelty for cruelty’s sake. The so-called ‘public charge’ rule is no different,” Wyden said. “Our taxpayer dollars shouldn’t pay to drive people further into the shadows, and they shouldn’t pay to force families to choose between the things they need and the people they love. Full stop.”
In addition to Wyden and Hirono, the Protect American Values Act is co-sponsored by Senators Ed Markey, D-Mass., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Bob Casey, D-Penn., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Tom Udall, D-N.M., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Chris Coons, D-Del., Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M.
