Speech #1020055131

The Federal Government must insure that limited Federal funds go to their intended beneficiaries. The Congress made good progress in requiring verification of status for certain entitlement programs and in authorizing the systematic alien verification for entitlement programs better known as the save program. However. these steps contained in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 can only be as effective as the interpretations of the various underlying benefit statutes. Our Nation faces large Federal deficits and the constraints of the GrammRudman law. Federal dollars paid to an illegal alien. sympathetic or otherwise. are literally dollars taken away from one of our own citizens. This legislation gives the Congress an opportunity to set the record straight. This measure is both a means to control illegal immigration and means to control budget deficits. Without the real or perceived attraction to Federal benefits. illegal immigration will be deterred. Without the seepage of benefits away from intended beneficiaries. money will be saved. Similar legislation was adopted by the Senate as an amendment to the immigration reform bill last year. Unfortunately. the provision was dropped in conference for reasons unknown to this Senator. Simply put. Mr. President. this legislation states that Federal benefits should not go to those who are in the United States illegally. If my colleagues feel as I do. that taxpayers dollars should not go to illegal aliens. I ask them to join me in support of this measure. By Mr.