Thread: STATEMENT: CAP’s Tom Jawetz Applauds ‘Queen of the Hill’ Rule, Reminds Every Member t

STATEMENT: CAP’s Tom Jawetz Applauds ‘Queen of the Hill’ Rule, Reminds Every Member that No Is Not an Acceptable Answer

April 18, 2018

Washington, D.C. — Today, Reps. Jeff Denham (R-CA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), and Will Hurd (R-TX) announced that they had sufficient co-sponsors for the bipartisan “Queen of the Hill” rule, and if discharged, it would force debate and a vote in the House of Representatives on measures to protect Dreamers, including the USA Act and the DREAM Act of 2017. Tom Jawetz, vice president of Immigration Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:

It’s now crystal clear that a strong, bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives no longer wants to stand idly by and do nothing about the problem facing Dreamers, and the country, as a result of President Donald Trump’s decision in September to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Queen of the Hill rule, if adopted, would allow each member to vote their conscience on a series of proposals and would make it impossible for members to stay in hiding or to say one thing in private and another in public. We applaud Reps. Denham, Aguilar, and Hurd for demonstrating through this measure that most members of the House are ready for the House to work its will.


Then again, it is also crystal clear that unless Republican leadership in the House brings this resolution to the floor for a vote, it means little to nothing unless the supporters of the resolution are unwilling to take “no” for an answer. If outgoing Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) refuses to let the House work its will, every member that supports this rule must agree to force the speaker’s hand and support a discharge petition. They cannot remain silent. They will not be lauded as champions for Dreamers if they are unwilling to help break congressional leadership’s stranglehold on the process that has to date prevented the House from tackling this important issue.

https://www.americanprogress.org/press/statement/2018/04/18/449855/statement-caps-tom-jawetz-applauds-queen-hill-rule-reminds-every-member-no-not-acceptable-answer/