[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 34 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H2838]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REAUTHORIZATION OF E-VERIFY

  (Mr. CALVERT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because 7 months from now the 
E-Verify program will expire. It is unacceptable that Congress 
continues to kick the can down the road on E-Verify. Last Congress, I 
along with 406 other Members of Congress, voted to extend E-Verify for 
4 years. It was a bipartisan bill that had the overwhelming support of 
Members, as well as the American public. Congresswoman Giffords and I 
have introduced the same legislation this Congress, H.R. 662.
  Let's be clear: Reauthorization of E-Verify is not immigration 
reform. The existing voluntary program is the only way for employers to 
ensure that that are complying with existing law, which requires them 
to hire a legal workforce. Extending the voluntary program will also 
provide certainty to the 106,000 users of the system, including the 
States of Arizona and Mississippi, that E-Verify will continue to be 
available.
  So why do we find ourselves counting down to an expiration date? 
Because there are certain special interests that may try to leverage E-
Verify for a so-called comprehensive immigration reform bill.
  We cannot allow the reauthorization of E-Verify to be tied up in a 
battle over an amnesty bill. Let's bring the bipartisan reauthorization 
of E-Verify through regular order and give the American people, and the 
thousands of E-Verify users, the assurance that employment verification 
will continue to be available.

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