Speech #1040148315

Mr. President. there are those in this country. including some in this body. who eternally say. "If it aint broke. dont fix it." I have heard that old. tired canard too many times. They assert that the present immigrationrelated problems of this country relate entirely to illegal immigrants. to the failure to prevent rampant violation of immigration lawnot only by the hundreds of thousands per year who cross this border illegally. but also by a perhaps equal number of persons who enter legally on temporary visas. and then remain here even after their approved period of stay has expired. Mr. President. illegal immigration is. indeed. a major problem. and I introduced legislation earlier this year which would greatly improve our ability to combat that. In June. that bill. S. 269. was favorably reported out of the Immigration Subcommittee. which I have the honor to chair. Perhaps the most important element of that bill is its proposed enhancement of the employer sanction system that is so necessary if we are ever to control both forms of illegal immigration. visa overstays. as well as illegal border crossing. The employer sanction system has been left incomplete and ineffective in the years since enactment of the 1986 immigration reform bill. because expected improvements in the system that is used to verify work authorization have never been made. S. 269 would require a series of pilot programs and within 8 years a final verification system. This system would be used not only for employment but for welfare or any other form of public assistance.