[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 152 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H10230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           IMMIGRATION REFORM

  (Mr. McHENRY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, Congress will soon debate much-needed 
immigration reforms. One of the most pressing matters is the sad state 
of technology used to process immigration case files. The U.S. Customs 
and Immigration Service uses paper printouts to process over 7 million 
applications per year.
  To address this glaring deficiency, I am introducing the 
Comprehensive Immigration Data and Technology Accountability Act. This 
legislation will do three things. First, it will create a database that 
allows real-time access to pending casework and move to a fully 
electronic system. Second, the database will be linked to Federal law 
enforcement agencies, reducing the number of illegal immigrants 
released into our communities. Third, the legislation sets deadlines 
for the planning, implementation, and review of the new database.
  It is past time that we used the fee-based immigration system to 
upgrade technology and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our 
application process. It is the right thing to do for Americans, and it 
is the right thing to do for those coming to America.

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