Speech #1030066214

Mr. Chairman. today I am offering a straightforward amendment to ensure that American taxpayers are not forced to subsidize illegal aliens through the National Service Program. Without my amendment. the National Service Program has one message for illegal aliens: "Come to the United States. We have even more free services for you now. Dont worry about the costs. The American taxpayers will foot the bill." Last night. about 3.100 people illegally slipped across the border in the San Diego area alone. Last month between 300.000 and 400.000 illegal aliens crossed our borders. To reduce these numbers. we must reduce the incentives and stop rewarding those who make a mockery of our countrys laws. Mr. Chairman. we have a serious problem with illegal aliens because we offer them too sweet of a deal. Today. there are 4 million illegal aliens residing in the United States. Last year. Federal and State governments spent at least $6 billion in taxpayer dollars on services to illegal immigrants. including: Unemployment benefits. subsidized housing. food stamps. education benefits. and medical care. Further. the GAO reports that 22 percent of our Federal inmates are illegal aliens. Also. 49 percent of all illegal aliens apply for unemployment insurance and 35 percent receive benefits. At least 2.4 million immigrants entered the United States illegally last year. Over the past 2 years. illegal immigrants cost California taxpayers $3 billion directly. and an untold sum indirectly. Today. we can send a message to illegal immigrants: "You can no longer slip across our border and siphonoff services from our own citizens." Many people enter this country because its still a land of opportunity. But we are quickly becoming a beacon of entitlement to whomever can sneak in. We must stop saddling taxpayers with the costs of illegal immigration. Providing more services to illegal immigrants will not solve the problem. In fact. it will do just the opposite. By providing free services to people who enter this country illegally. we continue to encourage the next wave of illegal Immigrants. That is why my amendment is so important. It prohibits the Corporation for National Service from making a grant to a government program if it does not have a written policy that prohibits the delivery of services to illegal immigrants. Furthermore. private organizations will not be eligible for national service grants unless they have a written policy that prohibits the delivery of personal services to illegal aliens. This amendment also applies to ACTION programs authorized under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act. Mr. Chairman. my amendment provides for two necessary exemptions: First. organizations which provide emergency services to illegal aliens can still participate in national service as long as they have a written policy of reporting illegal aliens to the INS. Therefore. hospitals which have been required by law to provide emergency medical care to illegal aliens will still qualify to participate in the National Service Program if they report illegal aliens to the INS. Second. compulsory educational programslike public schoolswill be able to receive national service volunteers. providing these programs also have a written policy of reporting illegal aliens to the INS. In short. with certain exceptions my amendment prohibits organizations that are participants in the National Service Program from subsidizing illegal aliens. I know that some critics will contend that a worthy charity will be denied volunteers because of my amendment. But let me point out that this amendment will not in any way change what charities can do right now. All this amendment does is ensure that we channel new Federal spending so as not to subsidize those services given to illegal aliens. Nothing In this bill prohibits organizations from continuing to run their own programs to serve illegal aliens without Federal help. Government money brings certain conditions. The bill before us already lays out conditions for funding. As long as this House is Intent on further expanding the size and role of the Federal Government. we may as well be sure that taxpayers hardearned cash does not further encourage Illegal immigration. We also have an opportunity to say to our Nations citizens. "We will not make you compete with illegal aliens." Its already tough for many Americans to reach the American Dream. Saddled with Government debt. high taxes. and overregulation. the last thing Americans need is to compete with illegal aliens for their jobs. their homes. and the use of their tax dollars. I urge my colleagues to say yes to American taxpayers and no to subsidizing services to illegal aliens. Vote for the Baker amendment.