Speech #1040176925

I would like to share that. because it is something that concerns not only all of us from California. but from other parts of the country as well. The President said. "but there are some areas that the Federal Government" must address directly and strongly. One of these is the problem of illegal immigration. "After years and years of neglect. this administration has taken a strong stand to stiffen the protection of our borders." The thing that troubles me about that is that while it is great that the President said it. it is great that the President is proceeding with a focus on this issue. but over the past year. since we have seen a new majority come into this Congress. since we have seen the fine work of my colleague. the gentleman from California. ELTON GALLEGLY. who chairs our task force on illegal immigration. since we have seen the Speakers Task Force on California focus on the issue of illegal immigration as its number one priority. and thanks to the great work of people like the gentleman frbm Kentucky. HAL ROGERS. and the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. we have been able to move ahead with very important legislation that. tragically. the President has vetoed. I would like to share with my colleagues a letter which I have just sent today to the President. in which I say. "I was greatly encouraged by your decision to include addressing illegal immigration as a national priority in Tuesdays State of the Union Address. However. in this light. I was dismayed by your veto record that has killed historic congressional proposals to combat Illegal immigration and lift the burden of illegal immigration from States like California." Those include. Mr. Speaker. providing 500 million to reimburse States for the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrant felons in State prisons. tripling prior year funding. and relieving California taxpayers of a $300 million burden that clearly is a Federal responsibility. Second. increasing funding for INS border control efforts by $300 million. to add 1.000 Border Patrol agents and 400 support staff. Third. establishing that illegal immigrants do not qualify for any Federal or State welfare programs. Fourth. prohibiting illegal immigrants from qualifying for taxpayerprovided health care services. And finally. creating a new $3.5 billion Federal fund to assist hospitals with the cost of emergency health care to illegal immigrants. with $1.6 billion of that going to the State of California. Mr. Speaker. it was wonderful that the president would stand here and talk about this issue. but he has been given the opportunity to address those concerns that not only the people in that State. where 54 electoral votes are held. but people around the country are concerned. and when he has been given that. opportunity. he has chosen to bring out his veto pen and in fact slap the face of those who have been focusing on this issue. He opposed proposition 187 in California. .which passed by an overwhelming landslide. people saying that the State of California should not be responsible for what is clearly a Federal issue. So it saddens me that while I am pleased that the statement was made. that the record of President Clinton on the issue of illegal immigration and the record of past congresses in the control of his party is that people have chosen to ignore this. In the past year. we have successfully stepped up to the plate to deal with it. and unfortunately. the President has chosen to veto it. Mr.