Make a Difference

It's quite well known by now. And whoever doesn't know this yet is about to get schooled. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is fierce. When he's not charming us with cupcakes or inspiring our kids at school, he's serving us bad@ss legislator realness. And we are officially living for it!

Today, he reminded us again why it's a shame that he can't do more in the House of Representatives. Even as a minority party freshman in that chamber, Rep. Horsford has managed to make a difference in advancing a number of important policies on Capitol Hill. One of those policies happens to be in the bill number we should all know by heart now: HR 15.

Last week, Rep. Horsford reminded us of the necessity of HR 15 when he did his part to help Bryan Rivera get his mother out of jail. Even though his father was the one who abused his mother and failed to pay child support, he turned her in to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bryan then shared his family's story at Horsford's immigration reform town hall. And while Bryan Rivera's mother was ultimately able to reunite with her son, Rep. Horsford used this as a teaching moment to show us exactly why comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) is so badly needed.

Today, Rep. Horsford took this message back to where it belongs: Capitol Hill. He was joined by Reps. Xavier Becerra (D-California), Judy Chu (D-California), and Joe Crowley (D-New York) to discuss House Democrats' next steps on HR 15 and CIR in general.



Remember when we discussed the Congressional procedure known as the discharge petition? That's what House Democrats will now be using for HR 15. If Senators Dean Heller (R) & Harry Reid (D) could join 13 other Republican Senators and 53 other Democratic Senators to pass S 744, why can't the House at least hold a floor vote on HR 15?

After all, House Republican "leaders" claim to
care about "family values". HR 15 would help keep American families together if passed. They also claim to care about "fiscal responsibility". HR 15 would lower the federal budget deficit by $900 billion in the next 20 years if passed. And again, HR 15 is firmly rooted in the bipartisan CIR plan that's already passed the Senate, attracted the support of numerous prominent Democrats & Republicans, and enjoys widespread public support. Why can't a bill like this have a floor vote?

House Republicans are still struggling to answer that question. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) has tried blaming President Obama. Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) has tried blaming local CIR activists. And House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has tried blaming everyone (but himself, of course). Yet while they've tried and tried and tried again to deflect blame onto someone, anyone else, they've failed to make any real effort to put together their own CIR plan that can pass Congress.

No wonder why Rep. Steven Horsford and House Democratic leaders have had enough of the G-O-TEA's tiresome temper tantrums & pointless pity parties. If they truly want CIR, then they know exactly how to achieve it. It will just involve less hot air and more real action.

Rep. Horsford doesn't have to charge so hard on CIR, or on any other major issue for that matter. After all, he's a minority party freshman in what's become the lower House of Congress. He could have easily chosen to fade into the background and enjoy the easy backbencher life. However, he didn't choose that path. He chose this one. And he's clearly out to make a difference.

And if certain alleged "pro-reform" Republicans want to join him in making a difference, they know exactly how to do so. They can start by signing the discharge petition.