[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 685 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 685

Calling on the Governor of the State of Illinois to defend the right of 
                  employers to employee verification.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 2007

 Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Shimkus, and Mr. 
 Roskam) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the Governor of the State of Illinois to defend the right of 
                  employers to employee verification.

Whereas every employer in the United States should have the right to verify the 
        legal status of potential employees;
Whereas in 1996, Republicans and Democrats in the Congress came together in a 
        strong bipartisan vote of 305 to 123 to establish pilot programs to give 
        employers the right to verify the legal status of potential employees;
Whereas Federal law continues to make the Basic Pilot Program (``E-Verify'') 
        available to all employers;
Whereas the Basic Pilot Program is a free, Internet-based system providing 
        employers real-time links to the Social Security Administration database 
        and immigration records to quickly verify the legal status of potential 
        employees;
Whereas the Basic Pilot Program fulfills the right of every American employer to 
        verify the legal status of potential employees;
Whereas Illinois law (Public Act 095-0138) now prohibits Illinois employers from 
        enrolling in the Employment Eligibility Verification System, including 
        the Basic Pilot Program, to verify legal status unless no mistakes are 
        made;
Whereas the Illinois Act denies employers the right to employee verification in 
        violation of Federal law;
Whereas on December 11, 2001, United States Representative Rod R. Blagojevich 
        joined with every member of Congress to unanimously pass the Basic Pilot 
        Extension Act of 2001, extending the right to verify the legal status of 
        potential employees to every American employer;
Whereas on August 13, 2007, contrary to his previous support in Congress, 
        Governor Rod R. Blagojevich approved Public Act 095-0138; and
Whereas on September 24, 2007, the United States of America filed suit against 
        the State of Illinois in the United States District Court Central 
        District of Illinois: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the basic right of every employer in the 
        United States to verify the legal status of a potential 
        employee;
            (2) supports the bipartisan Basic Pilot Program as an 
        effective tool giving employers the ability to verify the legal 
        status of potential employees;
            (3) calls on the Illinois State legislature to repeal 
        Illinois Public Act 095-0138, which violates Federal law by 
        denying employers the right to verify the legal status of 
        potential employees; and
            (4) calls on the Governor of the State of Illinois to file 
        an amicus brief in the case of United States v. Illinois 
        supporting the plaintiff's conclusion that Illinois Public Act 
        095-0138 violates the Supremacy Clause of the United States 
        Constitution.
                                 <all>