Speech #1040190271

Mr. Speaker. to repeat. we appreciate the good work. the outstanding work. actually. of the Committee on the Judiciary in developing a thoughtful piece of legislation. It tries to deal with our immigration system which virtually everybody agrees is badly in need of reform. We also appreciate the fairly good work of the Committee on Rules. We question only the fact that the Committee on Rules did not make in order several amendments which we think should have been made in order. and we urge our colleagues to defeat the previous question so that at least three of those amendments can be made in order. We have mentioned them earlier. One of those amendments would replace the HlB temporaryforeign temporaryworker provisions in the bill with provisions that protect American jobs. The second would promote selfsufficiency for refugees and make the Federal Government responsible for the full cost of refugees. That was the amendment spoken to earlier from the well by the gentleman from Wisconsin . The third one which I discussed at some length in my opening statement would hold businesses responsible for their hiring practices and for helping to protect jobs for Americans. Mr. Speaker. as I said earlier. the intent of that amendment. which would increase civil penalties for alrsady existing employer sanctions. is to finally stop employers from knowingly hiring immigrants who are here illegally. Increased penalties on employers have bipartisan support. They were advocated by our congressional task force on immigration. by the Jordan Immigration Commission. by the administration. We have to take this opportunity. it seems to me. to strengthen the weak sanctions we approved 10 years ago. Penalties on employers who knowingly break the law have to be severe enough to deter them from coming to flout our immigration laws. Mr. Speaker. if we are really serious about preventing illegals from seeking jobs and serious about employers from hiring Illegals for those jobs which should be protected for Americans. we will pass this amendment.