Speech #1040206326

However. the legislation makes clear that this document may not be required as a national identification card. Importantly. employers are not liable if they hire a person in good faith who is later found to have been ineligible. The bill reinforces and strengthens current U.S. immigration law requirements that immigrants be selfsupporting and that they not become a public charge. Legal immigrants are accepted Into the United States under the condition that their sponsors. not the taxpayer. will be responsible for them. This bill holds them to that promise. It requires sponsors of immigrants to take greater responsibility for those they bring into the United States by making the affidavit of support which they sign a legally binding document. The bill also counts the sponsors income as part of the immigrants income for purposes of determining eligibility for public assistance. a process known as deeming for an expanded range of public assistance programs. I believe this provision is in line with immigrants pledge of selfsufficiency and that they will not become a public charge. By expanding the number of programs that require deeming. we are holding immigrants to their commitment and requiring their sponsors. not the Government. take responsibility for them. I supported a Simon amendment that would have eliminated retroactive deeming requirements in the bill. I believe in deeming requirements to assure that sponsors and the legal immigrants that they sponsor meet the responsibilities they have promised to meet. but I think its unfair to apply new rules after the fact to those who are already here. Unfortunately. that amendment was defeated. I voted for a Kennedy amendment that would have excluded pregnant women. children and veterans from deeming requirements for Medicaid. Unfortunately. that amendment was also defeated. Under the bill. illegal immigrants. who have broken U.S. laws and have no legal right to be here. are prohibited from using any Federal. State. or local benefit. with minor exceptions related to public health interests. Mr. President. in conclusion. it is time we dealt firmly and directly with illegal immigration. This bill. while not perfect. makes a good effort to put in place the procedures and resources necessary to reduce Illegal Immigration. *