Speech #980210472

I do agree that we need to be concerned about the danger of increased discrimination. During debate on H.R. 1510. I intend to support several key amendments which would guard against discrimination and make this provision more effective. including: The Hawkins amendment. which will be offered by the Education and Labor Committee. to bar unfair immigrationrelated employment practices and to fine employers who violate this law. the Lungren amendment to make sanctions apply uniformly to all employers and to all employees. the Hall amendment to establish a telephone system for verifying employment eligibility. and the Miller amendment. also reported by the Education and Labor Committee. to maximize the employment of domestic workers and to assure that adequate work standards are maintained for both domestic workers and foreign H2 workers. For employer sanctions to work as they are intended. they should be applied uniformlyto all employers and all employees. The Hawkins amendment. adopted by the Education and Labor Committee. and an amendment. to be offered by Congressman LuNGREN would both accomplish this goal by requiring all employers to verify the eligibility of all employees. The Education and Labor amendment. in addition. offers another advantage: It provides a remedy for discrimination when it occurs by outlawing immigrationrelated employment discrimination and by creating a system to adjudicate complaints of discrimination and to penalize employers who discriminate. These protections against discrimination are another reason this amendment deserves support. Uniform sanctions are needed because voluntary compliance leaves too much room for selectivity on the part of employers and increases the risk that only foreign looking job applicants will be asked to prove their lawful status. In addition. selective application of the law would allow employers to continue hiring undocumented workers without fear of penaltyuntil and unless they are caught once and given a written warning. The Education and Labor Committee and Lungren amendments to title I our support. Applying sanctions uniformly will help reduce the risk of discrimination.