DEMOCRATS BLOCK CALVERT AMENDMENT TO EXTEND E-VERIFY
April 8, 2009
Today Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) introduced an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill during the full committee mark up to extend E-Verify for ten years. E-Verify, the only tool available to employers to voluntarily check the work status of new employees, is set to expire November 30, 2008.
"E-Verify is used by over 70,000 employers, the members of this committee represent over 59,000 employers who are using E-Verify and 22 of the members here are co-sponsors of bi-partisan legislation to make E-Verify mandatory," stated Rep. Calvert at the mark up.
Unfortunately the amendment was challenged by Subcommittee Chairman Price (D-NC) and Chairman Obey (D-WI) who stated that the Judiciary Committee had sent a letter asking the Appropriations Committee to not pass the amendment and allow the authorization committee to mark up and report Rep. Calvert's bill to reauthorize E-Verify. Chairman Obey and Chairman Price remained open to the possibility of including extension language in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill at a later time if the Judiciary Committee is not able to pass a reauthorization of E-Verify. The amendment failed on a party line vote with 36 Democrats voting against and 25 Republicans voting in support.
"I've testified before the Subcommittee on Immigration twice since 2007 on the need to make E-Verify mandatory and to extend the current voluntary program," said Rep. Calvert. "We now have less than six months before the program expires and I strongly urge the Judiciary Committee to move quickly on my reauthorization bill so that the Senate has time to act as well."
Rep. Calvert is the original author of E-Verify which is web-based, accurate, timely and free to employers. E-Verify has been made mandatory in the states of Arizona and Mississippi and several other states have legislation pending to make participation mandatory. Rep. Calvert testified on his legislation to make E-Verify mandatory (H.R. 19) and to extend the current program (H.R. 5596) before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on April 27, 2007 and June 10, 2008.
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"E-Verify is used by over 70,000 employers, the members of this committee represent over 59,000 employers who are using E-Verify and 22 of the members here are co-sponsors of bi-partisan legislation to make E-Verify mandatory," stated Rep. Calvert at the mark up.
Unfortunately the amendment was challenged by Subcommittee Chairman Price (D-NC) and Chairman Obey (D-WI) who stated that the Judiciary Committee had sent a letter asking the Appropriations Committee to not pass the amendment and allow the authorization committee to mark up and report Rep. Calvert's bill to reauthorize E-Verify. Chairman Obey and Chairman Price remained open to the possibility of including extension language in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill at a later time if the Judiciary Committee is not able to pass a reauthorization of E-Verify. The amendment failed on a party line vote with 36 Democrats voting against and 25 Republicans voting in support.
"I've testified before the Subcommittee on Immigration twice since 2007 on the need to make E-Verify mandatory and to extend the current voluntary program," said Rep. Calvert. "We now have less than six months before the program expires and I strongly urge the Judiciary Committee to move quickly on my reauthorization bill so that the Senate has time to act as well."
Rep. Calvert is the original author of E-Verify which is web-based, accurate, timely and free to employers. E-Verify has been made mandatory in the states of Arizona and Mississippi and several other states have legislation pending to make participation mandatory. Rep. Calvert testified on his legislation to make E-Verify mandatory (H.R. 19) and to extend the current program (H.R. 5596) before the Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on April 27, 2007 and June 10, 2008.
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