Tom Latham: “today I rise to commend the judiciary committee on a job well done and ask for the expedient passage of H.R. 3030, a…”

“today I rise to commend the judiciary committee on a job well done and ask for the expedient passage of H.R. 3030, a bill to extend the basic pilot employment verification program. This bill will reauthorize the recently expired program for an additional two years at minimal cost to the government. H.R. 3030 will further the aims of this body by encouraging greater cooperation between industry and the federal government--something I believe my colleagues on both sides of the aisle can support. This program, originally the brain-child of my good friend Representative Ken Calvert, allows eligible employers to use a joint Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)--Social Security Administration (SSA) database to verify that prospective employees are employable under existing law. Furthermore, it has the desirable effect of providing greater ease of verification for employers and greater deterrence to those who would fraudulently use legal documents. Currently used by approximately 1,758 companies in the states of California, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, New York, and Texas, as well as facilities owned by these companies in states not explicitly covered, this program has been beneficial to industries ranging from meat packing to direct mail. As we continue to debate INS reform, I believe it is incumbent upon us that we reauthorize programs that have been successful and recognize these programs as the model for such future efforts.”