Commerce, Justice, Science, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008
Floor Speech
COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 25, 2007)
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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to help prevent aliens who lack authorization to work legally from taking Federal jobs.
In the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, Congress responded to the problem of document verification when hiring folks by establishing three pilot programs for employment eligibility verification. Private employers in selected States could volunteer to participate in these programs.
Under a program called the Basic Pilot Program, Social Security numbers and Alien Identification Numbers of new hires are checked against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security records. This weeds out fraudulent numbers and assures that new hires are legally eligible to work.
A 2001 report on the Basic Pilot Program found 96 percent of employers found it to be an effective tool.
In 2003, Congress extended the Basic Pilot Program for another 5 years and made it available to employers nationwide.
The 1996 law stipulates that each department of the Federal Government must participate in the Basic Pilot Program. Incredibly, the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State, are currently not participating.
My amendment basically says, because I hear from constituents all the time who are angry about those working who do not have legal verification. What message does it send when Federal agencies do not abide by the Federal laws?
There's no excuse for having any illegal aliens taking Federal jobs. We have a Basic Pilot Program to stop this from happening. We have a law on the books that requires Federal agencies, including Commerce, Justice and State, to use it for employment verification.
My amendment provides that no funds in this appropriation bill shall be spent in contravention of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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