Steve King: Has CBO Scored DREAM Act as a $20 Billion Giveaway to Illegal Aliens?

Washington D.C.- Congressman Steve King (R-IA) today issued the following statement after writing the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to request the release of its current scoring of the DREAM Act. Press reports indicate that Senate Democrats may be blocking a release of the score to cover-up the true costs of the legislation to the public. At least one published report suggests that CBO has scored the DREAM Act, legislation which rewards a defined class of illegal aliens with amnesty, as carrying a $20 billion cost.

“There are reports that Senate Democrats are covering-up an analysis showing that granting illegal aliens amnesty under the DREAM Act will cost upwards of $20 billion,” said King. “If these reports are true, Democrats are willfully misleading Members of Congress, and the American public, about the costs of their open-borders agenda in order to secure support for their controversial amnesty legislation.”

“Since Congress may vote on the DREAM Act as early as tomorrow, I have contacted CBO’s Director, Douglas Elmendorf, to request that he release the current scoring of the bill prior to Congress voting on the matter. Democrats know that the American public will not tolerate the passage of a $20 billion giveaway program for illegal aliens, and Democrats should not be allowed to conceal a score they don’t like. CBO has a responsibility to ensure that Members of Congress have the information they need to make an informed vote on the legislation, and should release their current analysis of the DREAM Act immediately.”