Senate Watch Senators Nelson & Martinez co-sponsor "THE DREAM ACT" (A Dream or a Nightmare?) By Carolyn Cormey Our Florida US Senators - Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Mel Martinez - have reached across the political isle to co-sponsor the latest 2009 version of "The Dream Act." In these hard economic times when all of us are tightening our belts and making hard cuts to our family financial budgets, our two US Senators are joining hands in a bi-partisan effort to co-sponsor a bill that will bring economic relief, hope and brighter future to . . . . . . . . illegal aliens? Special Educational Benefits ONLY for Illegal Aliens: The Dream Act gives special benefits to illegal aliens that will not be available to US Citizens. The Dream Act retroactively repeals the federal ban on in-state tuition for illegal aliens - but not for Citizen's, their children or grandchildren. After the Dream Act passes, illegal aliens will not be required to pay out of state tuition to attend state universities or colleges in any state, but as US voters, your child or grandchild will still have to pay out of state tuition and fees if they attend the state college or university in another state that specializes in their field of interest. Fast-Track Citizenship For Illegal Aliens: There are some qualification requirements for illegal aliens who make application under the Dream Act but in reading the proposed bill, it appears that the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano has been given the authority to waive, extend or ignore any or just about all of the requirements written into the bill. The Dream Act not only provides a significantly reduced cost of higher education for illegal aliens but also allows them access to compete with citizens for government educational loans, grants and federal work study programs. In addition, the illegal aliens who apply under the Dream Act also are put onto a special pathway to citizenship that puts them ahead of those waiting in line, following our laws and process to come legally into our country. Numbers USA states that the Dream Act may qualify upwards of three million illegal aliens for an amnesty process to appease illegal alien special interest groups who were promised the passage of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform," including amnesty in the first year of the new administration but now must wait until early next year after they get Universal Health Care and Carbon Credit Legislation passed. The Dream Act also specifically forbids any legal action against illegal aliens based on the information they provide in their application and sets forth large monetary fines for anyone who shares that information with other legal authorities (except if related to terrorism or to the corner if applicant dies). The Dream Act also sets forth some penalties for illegal aliens who fraudulently make application but says little about even the most minimal documentation that may be required to substantiate claims or declarations made by the illegal aliens that they have met the requirements set forth in the Act. It is also quite interesting that in listing the circumstances under which illegal aliens may qualify, the Dream Act specifically states that illegal aliens who have remained in our country in defiance of a final administrative or judicial order of exclusion, deportation or removal - ARE NOT EXCLUDED from this program. By virtue of defying deportation and remaining illegally in our country they can apply and can qualify for educational benefits and the built-in pathway to citizenship the Act provides - while illegal aliens who have obeyed deportation will not be eligible. Huh?!!! In Florida here is what the Dream Act will look like: Florida residents and their children AND qualifying illegal alien children and adults (living anywhere in the US and coming to college in Florida) will pay the total FLORIDA RESIDENT RATE of $125.91 per under-graduate /CREDIT HOUR and $341.29 per graduate/CREDIT HOUR Citizen residents of other states and their children coming to attend a state college or university here in Florida (and that includes your children and grandchildren even if you are a resident of Florida) will get to pay the NON-RESIDENT RATE of $687.40 per under-graduate/CREDIT HOUR and $971.48 per graduate/CREDIT HOUR! (These figures were taken off the University of Florida Financial Services web page for fees for the 2008-2009 total per credit hour (unit) fees) The priorities of our two Florida US Senators: As we face the looming educational upgrades that are needed to educate our Florida children and the strained educational budgets that continually need more money it is interesting to see where our own Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez put their priorities on the legislation they sponsor and the priorities on who benefits from how they spend our tax dollars. This Bill has already been introduced in both the Senate and House and the Majority Party Leaders will put this onto the agenda for vote as soon as they have secured the votes they need to quickly pass the Dream Act, with as little fan fare as possible, before we even notice it happening. You may want to give your opinions to our Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez on whether you think that this special treatment of illegal aliens (not extended to voters and their children or grandchildren) is a DREAM come true or another nightmare we must silently pay for as our legislators put a higher priority on satisfying illegal alien special interest groups - than using the money to increase benefits to struggling citizens who can no longer afford to let their children attend the college or university in another state that specializes in their field of interest. Your calls and input to our Senators has stopped and redirected legislation before. You can find the contact information for Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez at www.contactingthecongress.org and be certain to also give them a call through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

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