WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1) today issued the following statement regarding the defeat of the ASSET bill in Colorado’s House.  The bill would enable undocumented children to obtain a more affordable tuition rate to go to a public university; higher than that for resident undergraduates but lower than non-resident tuition. Unfortunately the bill was killed in the Colorado House Finance Committee, marking the sixth time such a measure has died in the Colorado legislature. 

“I am disappointed to see that once again Colorado’s ASSET bill will not become a reality for thousands of our students.  I have long supported the ASSET bill in Colorado and the national DREAM Act as critical measures to ensure we are helping every child be prepared to enter our national workforce with the skills they need. 

“The DREAM Act would allow our nation to provide the opportunities children deserve while also realizing the investment we have already made in their K-12 education.  Many states already offer in-state tuition to undocumented students, and these states are seeing the economic benefit of doing so without many of the doomsday predictions that accompanied their legislation’s enactment.   

“These students love this country – and often know no other – and it would be a tragic mistake to hinder their ability to succeed and contribute to our nation in the 21st century. For their sake and the sake of our nation’s future, I will continue to fight for the DREAM Act in Washington, and I encourage my colleagues in Colorado to persevere on ASSET.”  

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