ICYMI: Rep. Gillen Joins Bipartisan Coalition on Dignity Act, Supporting Construction Industry to Lower Housing Costs

Watch Rep. Gillen's Full Remarks HERE.

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers, the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Action and the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA), to highlight how the Dignity Act would help address construction labor shortages, increase housing supply, and lower costs for families.

Rep. Gillen is an original cosponsor of the bipartisan legislation to enact comprehensive immigration reform that would strengthen the border, provide a pathway to work authorization for law-abiding immigrants, and reform the asylum system.

Nearly one-third of the nation's construction workforce is made up of immigrant workers. The Dignity Act would create the Dignity Program and the "Dignity" legal status. Dignity status would grant hardworking, vetted individuals who have been in the U.S. for more than five years legal status, work and travel authority, and grant them a permanently renewable legal status for as long as they meet the criteria. Participation in the program would require Dignity beneficiaries to pay $7,000 over 7 years (the duration of the program), as well as pass a criminal background check, pay any outstanding taxes and begin or continue paying taxes.

(As prepared for delivery)

Good morning, it's a pleasure to be here with you all this morning.

I'm Congresswoman Laura Gillen, and I came to Congress to work across the aisle to fix our broken immigration system.

I'm proud to have helped introduce the bipartisan Dignity Act, which will reform immigration, grow our economy and create jobs.

Thank you to the ABIC Action and SBCA for organizing this today.

Your support for the Dignity Act shows how this bill will help benefit so many key industries across our economy.

I was proud to be an original cosponsor of the Dignity Act, and I'm grateful that the Problem Solvers Caucus has officially thrown its support behind this legislation.

It's rare to get bipartisan agreement on anything these days, especially a hot-button issue such as immigration.

After 30 years of inaction from both parties, this bill offers common-sense solutions to solve this crisis that is hurting the American people.

We cannot afford not to take action.

Right now, we're facing a construction workforce shortage and sky-high housing costs; the Dignity Act will help deliver relief.

On Long Island, we feel this crisis acutely.

The average cost of a Long Island home has skyrocketed past $700,000, and in many neighborhoods, it is even higher.

We see the heartbreaking reality that seniors, young adults, and working families cannot afford to stay where they grew up.

They are being priced out of their own communities because our housing supply cannot meet the demand.

When we lack the workforce to build new homes, projects are delayed, supply plummets, and costs skyrocket even further.

The Dignity Act provides a renewable work authorization for hardworking, taxpaying, vetted individuals who have already been here for more than five years.

This is not a fast pass to legal status for businesses or workers to abuse.

That's why the bill mandates E-Verify to ensure that businesses hire workers legally.

It will strengthen our workforce and the construction industry, helping meet demand and drive down the cost of new homes and projects.

Recently, I've heard from countless local business owners who are the backbone of Long Island's economy.

They tell me the same thing.

Without a stable workforce, they cannot sustain their businesses or grow.

That's why the Dignity Act is so critical.

The American people are tired of inaction on fixing our immigration system.

They want a secure border and a tough but fair process for those who follow the law and give back to our country.

The Dignity Act delivers both, helping our businesses and communities and making it easier to build more housing so the next generation can afford the American Dream of owning a home.

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