Speech #1030026229

Mr. Speaker. last week I introduced H.R. 1620. which will eliminate Federal mandates that require States to provide benefits to illegal immigrants. The Federal Government currently requires that States provide a number of services to illegal immigrantsincluding free health care and educationyet it fails to provide the necessary funds to carry out these expensive programs. If Congress cannot pay for new entitlement programs. it should not impose that burden on the States. Federal mandates for illegal immigrant benefits are one of the major problems facing my State of California as it attempts to deal with its current budget crisis. For example. under Medicaidthe cost of which is split 5050 by the State and the Federal Governmentthe State must pay for the emergency health services of illegal immigrants. As a result. many illegal immigrants cross the border to go to emergency rooms in southern California for minor medical care. checkups. and to give birth to their children. Since 1986. when Congress passed the mandate requiring States to provide free emergency medical and pregnancyrelated services. the cost for such coverage has grown by a factor of 200. Undocumented immigrants cost the MediCal Program an estimated $489 million per year. A 1982 Supreme Court decision also requires that States take children of illegal immigrants into the public school system. Gov. Pete Wilsons office estimates that this requirement cost California over $1 billion in fiscal year 1992. It is ironic that schools can demand to know whether a student lives within the school district. yet they cannot inquire about ones immigration status. H.R. 1620 eliminates the burdensome Federal mandates on States to provide these services. however. the States could continue to offer them if they wish to do so. In addition. H.R. 1620 prohibits direct Federal financial benefits and unemployment benefits for illegal immigrants. At a time when the Government has difficulty funding programs for its own citizens. benefit programs for illegal immigrants are hard to justify. Illegal immigrants are currently eligible for Federal housing. social services block grants. WIC programs. school lunch and breakfast programs. and Head Start. Although illegal immigrants are not eligible for AFDC benefits. any children they have in the United States make them eligible. I believe that if individuals are breaking the law by entering this country illegally. they should not be rewarded with financial and other benefits. Mr. Speaker. the citizens of California and other border States are feeling overwhelmed by the influx of people pouring over the border illegally to take advantage of our generous benefit programs. Yet our cities cannot absorb these people. who end up living in abject poverty while straining our already scarce State and Federal resources. This legislation would alleviate the burden on States. and eliminate the perverse incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the United States. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. which will help put an end to this growing crisis.