[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 29, 2003

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, due to my participation in an 
International Relations Committee delegation to Iraq, I was unable to 
vote on rollcall 569 to 573. Had I been present, I would have voted the 
following:
  On rollcall vote 569, the rule to recommit the Conference Report on 
H.R. 2115--the FAA Reauthorization Act, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On rollcall vote 571, the Marked motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 
6--the Energy conference report, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On rollcall vote 572, the Woolsey motion to instruct conferees on 
H.R. 1308--the Tax Relief, Simplification and Equity Act, I would have 
voted ``yes.''
  On rollcall vote 573, the Brown motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 
1, the Medicare Prescription Drug bill, I would have voted ``yes.''
  On rollcall vote 570, H.R. 2359--the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 
2003, I would have voted ``no.''
  The Basic Pilot Program currently enables participating employers in 
various industries to verify if employees are legally authorized to 
work in the United States. H.R. 2359 goes much further than a simple 
extension of the program.
  In fact, this bill would enable states and local governments to use 
the databases to obtain citizenship and immigration status information 
on anyone--citizen or immigrant--for any purpose within their purview. 
This would expand the pilot program far beyond the context of 
employment and close to a national ID program with no privacy 
protections or safeguards against abuse by individuals within state and 
local governments.
  This bill would also expand the availability of the program from just 
6 states to all 50, without first addressing the many privacy and 
inaccuracy concerns in the current program. For example, the 
immigration databases used to verify work authorization are inaccurate 
and outdated. In some cases, workers with authorization have been fired 
because of incorrect data in the system. Moreover, some employers have 
inappropriately used the database to pre-screen employees, without 
providing an opportunity for the prospective employee to challenge the 
accuracy of the data.
  Additionally, the House Judiciary Committee did not hold any hearings 
or mark-ups on the changes contained in H.R. 2359 despite the fact that 
this bill makes significant changes to existing law. For these reasons, 
I would have voted ``no'' on H.R. 2359, the Basic Pilot Extension Act 
of 2003.
  I ask for unanimous consent that this be inserted into the Record.

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