In a vote of 56-43, the Senate blocked proceeding with the debate on the Defense spending bill. Democrats had included the DREAM Act, which would legalize undocumented youth studying in college or enlisted in the military. Sixty votes would have been required.

This is a setback to the hundreds of thousands of young people who were hoping for progress to be made on the bill as soon as possible. They have been waiting nearly a decade for the legislation to be approved.

But despite all this, the young people displayed optimism.

"I feel that this vote had nothing to do with the youth movement or with the DREAM Act, but instead with political parties and elections," Yahaira Carrillo, one of the national leaders of the so-called "DREAMers" movement, told America's Voice.

"The young people are more organized than ever and it is our plan to continue fighting because we want Congress to give us what we've been waiting for," Carrillo added.

"This is not a defeat," Gabriela Pacheco, another one of the leaders of the student movement, added.

Emilio Vicente, from North Carolina and soon to turn 19, said that despite his disappointment, "this energizes us because now we're more united and organized than ever."

Prior to the vote, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) asked his colleagues to vote against the motion to proceed with the debate on the Defense bill as it included amendments that "have nothing to do" with the legislation – even though the DREAM Act has a military component that allows undocumented young people to serve two years in the armed forces and thus begin the path to legalization. Another amendment tried to repeal the policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which prohibits lesbians and homosexuals serving in the military from openly declaring their sexual orientation.

McCain said of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that the amendments represented a "political ploy to try to galvanize his political base" at a time when Democrats could lose control of Congress in the upcoming elections.

But Senator Reid, and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), author of the DREAM Act (S. 729), who has been trying to push for it for the past decade, reiterated that both measures were linked to the Defense bill and that Republicans only blocked the process for partisan reasons.

Durbin said that it is about "young people willing to sacrifice their lives for the United States and we're telling them NO."

But "tomorrow is another day," Durbin added.

His message to the young people was: "Don't give up."

Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, said that the GOP slammed the door in the face of young people who want to study and serve in this country's armed forces. "Evidently, talented young immigrants are not included in their country club view of who deserves opportunity and freedom."

The so-called "DREAMers" said that they would continue pressuring for the bill in any legislative opportunity that arises.

The DREAM Act would benefit close to a million undocumented youths who completed at least two years of college or served in the armed forces.