Ending DACA ‘bad for our economy,’ Casey says

Sen. Bob Casey reaffirmed his support for a public option fix to Obamacare, but withheld judgment on Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders's proposed Medicare-forall legislation until he sees the text of the bill.

Mr. Casey, D-Pa., made the statement Monday after speaking during a Labor Day event at Freedom Corner in the Hill District.

Mr. Casey also said that he believed a bipartisan effort would be possible to reinstate or maintain the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA) program should President Donald Trump end the program in a scheduled announcement Tuesday.

On health care, Mr. Casey said, “With the opportunity to fix some of the competition problems, I think for a Medicare-like public option, now, we've got potential to get things done.”

“Republicans will mostly vote against it,” he acknowledged.

Regarding Mr. Sanders’ singlepayer bill, which is expected to be introduced this month, Mr. Casey said, “I just haven't seen the bill.”

The bill received a boost last week when freshman California Sen. Kamala Harris announced she would co-sponsor the bill. Mr. Casey did not rule out support, but said, “I have got to see how they put the bill together.”

Mr. Casey was forceful in defense of DACA, an Obama administration program that has granted temporary benefits and relief from deportation for 800,000 people who were brought across the border as children.

“If the president ends DACA, it's not only wrong and immoral and insulting, it's really bad for our economy. It'll cost us jobs, it'll hurt our security,” he said.

“It's a total betrayal of the trust of the federal government,” he said, adding that DACA recipients, called “Dreamers,” came forward and identified themselves on the promise they would not be deported.