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Wilson: America is on Our Side

July 31, 2006
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kim Olive
(202) 225-2452 (Office)
(202) 420-9493 (Cell)

July 31, 2006


Wilson: America is on Our Side

PLANO - Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) today joined Chairman Sam Johnson and members of the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Employer - Employee Relations for a field hearing in Plano, Texas. Wilson made the following opening remarks:

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank Chairman Sam Johnson for conducting today’s hearing. Our discussion will center on a key issue in the debate surrounding illegal immigration: employee verification systems and employer enforcement.

“The House border security bill incorporates stringent measures for verifying and complying with employee eligibility. Such provisions are sadly absent from the Reid-Kennedy Senate bill.

“For example, employers are currently required to inspect employees’ government-issued identification and require them to complete an I-9 form attesting to their work eligibility. In addition to these requirements, employers may choose to screen employees through the Basic Pilot Program, which electronically verifies employees’ work eligibility through the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

“While both the House border security bill and the Reid-Kennedy bill make participation in the Basic Pilot Program mandatory, the House bill requires employers to ensure that ALL of their employees are legally able to work in the United States. In contrast, the Reid-Kennedy bill only extends the requirement to employees hired AFTER the bill’s enactment. Mr. Chairman, this defies logic. Employers should be held accountable for ALL of their employees - not just those hired after an arbitrary date.

“In conclusion, I believe strongly that as House Republicans take our case to the American people in August with such hearings as we are conducting today, we will hear the same response: the American people are on our side!

“We are at a crossroads today in the United States. We can choose to effectively address our growing illegal immigration problem or we can turn a blind eye.

“As we continue to debate this issue, I hope Democrats in Congress will realize what the average American already understands: We cannot address illegal immigration without addressing border security.”

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