Conyers Applauds Federal Court Decision Blocking Onerous Texas Voter ID Law

(DETROIT)—Last week, a three judge District Court in D.C. blocked onerous legislation requiring an individual to show a photo identification before casting a ballot in an election. The court found the law to be discriminatory, and would effectively limit the right to vote of minorities and poor voters. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement following the court’s decision:     

“I applaud the decision by the District Court in D.C. to block the reprehensible voter ID law,” said Conyers. “The court was correct in recognizing the discriminatory impact that voter ID requirements have on  minority voters, amounting to voter suppression.

“I also commend the Department of Justice’s enforcement of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.  The vigorous enforcement of this important piece of legislation protects groups who have historically experienced discrimination by states. Given the three recent decisions that the D.C. Court has issued rejecting voting changes across the country, it is now up to Congress to turn back any coordinated efforts designed to limit the historical trend of expanding voting rights.”

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Conyers Celebrates Historic First Day of Obama Deferred Action Policy, Urges Passage of DREAM Act as Permanent Solution

(DETROIT) – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), participated in a press conference applauding the Obama Administration’s bold policy to provide relief to young upstanding individuals who are American in every way but name. The press conference included Alliance for Immigrant Rights & Reform Michigan, local advocates, and three DREAMers intending to apply for deferred action under the new policy. Representative John Conyers, Jr. released this statement following the press conference:

“Two months ago, President Obama made a historic announcement that his administration would work to use executive discretion so that young people would receive temporary protection from deportation. Today, the Administration made good on its word,” said Conyers.

“I am pleased to announce that today is the first day that qualified young people will be able to request deferred action from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. This is an important day for countless young people who were brought to this country as children and have grown up knowing only America as their home. These are young people who have excelled in our schools, attended our churches and mosques, and played in our Little Leagues. They wish nothing more than to contribute to this country — the only one they have ever truly known.

“Until today, these young individuals lived in fear of deportation. Yet, under President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s leadership, these young people can now receive temporary protection from deportation.

“I want it to be clear that this policy only applies to a distinct group of young people who were brought to the United States as children, played by the rules, and can demonstrate that they meet key guidelines through documentation.

“I commend the Obama Administration for recognizing that executive discretion – which is used in so many other areas – is especially justified when we are faced with removing productive young people to countries where they may have never lived and where they may not even speak the language.

“I am personally committed to making this a successful program, and I want all young people who are eligible for deferred action to have access to the program. But that doesn’t mean Congress’s job is done.  The President has used his executive authority to set immigration priorities and offer temporary protection, but Congress must act to make this protection permanent by passing the DREAM Act into law.”

For additional helpful information on the steps needed to be taken for deferred action, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s webpage at:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/enforcement/deferred-action-process-for-young-people-who-are-low-enforcement-priorities.shtm

Representative John Conyers, Jr. speaking at a Press Conference on Deferred Action for DREAMers.

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Press Conference: Deferred Action for DREAMers

(DETROIT) – Tomorrow, Wednesday August 15^th, is the first day that young individuals will be able to apply for the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program by submitting requests to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) will be joining immigration rights groups and undocumented students who plan to apply for the program, in a press conference praising the Obama Administration’s bold policy that provides relief to young people who are American in every way but name.

                 

WHAT:                 Press Conference on Deferred Action for DREAMers

WHERE:               United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

                                11411 East Jefferson Avenue

                                Detroit, MI 48214

               

WHEN:                 Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

WHO:                   The Honorable John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.)

                                Three DREAMers intending to apply for deferred action

The Alliance for Immigrants Rights & Reform Michigan

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Conyers: Focus On the Revival of Michigan’s Cities, Not the Statute

(DETROIT) – Earlier this week, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an official opinion following the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision to allow the repeal initiative of the Emergency Manager law, Public Act 4, on the November 6^th ballot. Attorney General Schuette’s opinion stated that the effective suspension of PA 4 puts into effect the prior Emergency Manager law, Public Act 72. Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement following the opinion:

“The issue facing the people of Michigan is not the revival of an archaic Emergency Manager law, but whether local and state leaders can cooperate on a plan for the revival of our cities,” said Conyers.

“I disagree with the Attorney General’s conclusion that PA 72 would be revived with the repeal of PA 4 by referendum. The revival statute clearly states that once repealed by legislation, a statute cannot be brought back without an express act by the legislature. While there is no question that PA 72 was repealed by the newer Emergency Manager law, PA 4, its revival following the overturning of PA 4 by referendum could create yet another question for future litigation.

“At this point, these legal questions are distracting from the heart of the matter. We need to focus and strive towards creating a financially viable recovery plan for all cities while preserving our democracy. This will require the cooperation of all of our city and state leaders.

“The actions of the Attorney General should send forth a call to action and an appropriate response from every community in Michigan. These actions indicate to us that all who believe in democracy must be concerned with Lansing’s increasing appetite for control over local government.

“For the good of Michigan’s cities, I hope that we can put all of that behind us and let the people decide on November 6^th.”

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US Rep. Conyers Wins Dem Nomination For 25th Term

US Rep. Conyers Wins Dem Nomination For 25th Term

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

DETROIT (AP) - Rep. John Conyers has won another Democratic primary and is on his way to a 25th consecutive term in Congress.
The 83-year-old Conyers defeated state Sen. Glenn Anderson of Westland in Michigan’s 13th District. The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to easily win the seat in the November general election.

Harry Sawicki ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Conyers has had few serious primary challenges and has been in Congress since 1965. He is the second most senior member in the U.S. House, a member of the House Judiciary Committee and a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus.
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Building a Bipartisan Consensus and Rebuilding Communities: A Job Creation Bill for America's Hardest Hit Areas

By John Conyers, Jr.

U.S> Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

I can think of few issues that have led to more heated rhetoric and emotions than immigration. Much of the recent focus has rightly been on fixing our broken immigration system and what to do about the undocumented population that has been living and working in the United States, in many cases for years. These are important issues, and I am committed to finding humane solutions in keeping with our tradition as a nation of immigrants.

However, I also know that immigration policy can be a tool to spur new foreign investment, business development and job creation in the United States. So, I have worked with my Republican colleague on the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jason Chaffetz from Utah, to introduce H.R. 6210, the American Investment and Job Creation Act of 2012. This bill would amend our immigration laws to prioritize existing employment-based green cards for entrepreneurs who start new businesses in the United States and create jobs for American workers, particularly in economically troubled areas, such as Detroit.

Currently, our immigration system provides green cards to those who fill jobs in the American economy, but not to those who create jobs. And our laws provide only temporary visas, such as E-2 "treaty investor visas," for foreign entrepreneurs. This makes no sense. The lack of a path to permanent residency deters many entrepreneurs from helping to revitalize our economy and lowering the unemployment rate. Studieshave shown that immigrants were key founders of 25% of all engineering and technology startups in the United States from 1995 to 2005. These are businesses and jobs we need here in Michigan.

The American Investment and Job Creation Act would address this by making existing employment-based green cards available to those who establish new businesses and create and sustain jobs for American workers. It will specifically help cities like Detroit that have been especially affected by the economic recession by increasing employment opportunities for American workers and beginning to reverse decades of population decline.

This is a common-sense bill that refocuses our immigration laws so that they better serve the needs of our country and its citizens. Rep. Chaffetz and I are pleased to have support from various business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Venture Capital Association, the National Small Business Association and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

The bipartisan support for this bill shows that there are places where we can work across the aisle with the goal of achieving incremental, but important, results. Much work needs to be done to repair our broken immigration system, and we must continue to rebuild urban and rural areas devastated by the financial meltdown and the subsequent recession. The American Investment and Job Creation Act is a step forward, and it is an immigration bill that people from all sides should be able to support.

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Conyers Applauds President Obama’s Creation of New National Office to Ensure that African-American Youth Are Better Prepared for High School, College, and a Career

Says Initiative Could Increase College Graduation Rates, and Break the Tragic Cycle of High Incarceration Rates for African-Americans, but only with the Active Support of the American People

(DETROIT)— Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) applauded President Obama’s new initiative to help African-American youth be better prepared for high school, college, and a career. During a ceremony at the White House, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the first ever “White House Initiative On Educational Excellence For African-Americans.” The initiative aims to promote best-practices in education, which will lead to more effective programming for African-American students.

President Obama’s new federal initiative builds upon a recently announced plan to make college and universities more affordable to young people, who are graduating from our nation’s universities with high levels of debt. Under the President’s new college tuition initiative, the federal government would provide more funding to colleges who keep their tuition costs down.

Representative Conyers issued the following statement in support of the new office:

                                                                                                                                                              

“For far too long, African-American youth have been left behind in our nation’s educational system, and far too many have ended up in prison.  Some of the root causes of educational failure in the African-American community have been due to a woefully inadequate federal commitment to fund successful programs like Head Start, after-school enrichment programs, and the Pell Grant college scholarship program. President Obama’s ‘White House Initiative on Educational Excellence For African- Americans’ will elevate the educational achievement of African-Americans as a national priority, so that all African-American students receive an education that fully prepares them for high school, college completion, and productive careers. In addition to President Obama’s initiative, we must fully fund technical schools, job training programs, and direct job creation programs in our nation’s inner cities.  

“This program has the potential to be one of the President’s lasting signature achievements - but only with the active involvement and support of the American people.”

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