TRENTON – Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland) and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) issued the following statement today regarding the “DREAM Act” clearing the Assembly Budget Committee:
“The ‘DREAM Act’ is about equality and fairness: it’s about who we are as a people in New Jersey. When we talk about DREAMers, we are talking about children who grew up in our neighborhood, went to our schools and played with our children. They deserve to be treated equally, not burdened with unfair and unnecessary costs simply because they are trying to attend an institution of higher learning.
“No one can deny that we have a crisis in terms of college affordability and student debt. That means higher education cannot continue to be a luxury. College is an economic necessity and every family in New Jersey should be able to afford it. Every family. This legislation will allow every child the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. We hope and encourage the governor to sign this bill into law once it reaches his desk.”