Transcript of Culberson's Appearance on Fox News Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: If my next guest right, the administration has signed a deal with Mexico that will bankrupt Social Security even faster by making some illegals in America eligible for these benefits. And get this, if it is true, their families back home could also get checks. With us now, Republican congressman of Texas, John Culberson. Congressman, the Social Security Administration says this is not the case. You say it is.

REP. JOHN CULBERSON (R), TEXAS: Well, unfortunately, this is, I believe, another example of the bureaucracy running around the Congress and the American people. They did it with the Dubai Port deal. The Department of Transportation is just trying to do it with a rule that would give minority foreign investors control over U.S. airlines.

And I'm basing my information, Neil, on the Government Accounting Office which reported this totalization agreement would, indeed, apply to extend American Social Security to every illegal alien from Mexico working in the United States, extend those Social Security benefits to their entire extended family, anywhere in the world.

And the GAO reported, Neil, get this, that the illegal aliens would qualify for Social Security after working only six quarters, when Americans have to work 40 quarters? I mean, this is just outrageous. And I wouldn't be so suspicious if the State Department would simply give us the agreement.

I have asked for it for over 16 months. Prove me wrong. I welcome the chance for the State Department and the Social Security Administration to prove that I'm wrong. But they will not show us the agreement. The GAO says it is true.

CAVUTO: We did hear, Congressman, from a Mark Hinkle with the Social Security Administration National Press Office, and he said, I could go on and on here, but I will cut to the chase, that there is no such agreement currently in effect. The U.S. currently has totalization agreements, that you referred to, in effect with 21 countries. These totalization agreements, to really vastly oversimplify it, allow workers who are in here on a temporary basis to get benefits, but that this is not given to illegals. What do you say?

CULBERSON: This agreement is not in effect yet, but the administration, the bureaucrats signed it on June 29th of 2004. The State Department must approve the agreement, Neil, and that moment, there is a 60-day clock that begins to tick. Congress has 60 legislative days to stop it.

And we are cocked and loaded to stop it. The administration has, indeed, not yet approved it. And I passed an amendment in the Appropriations Committee to cut off all federal funding to implement or even begin procedures for this agreement, because Congress wants the administration to know they should not approve this agreement that Social Security signed, which the GAO says puts every illegal alien from Mexico, their entire families, anywhere in the world, on the Social Security system. And.

CAVUTO: But how did they get their families in? That is what I don't understand. Well, these agreements, to quote from the GAO report, is that family members of covered Mexican workers would become newly entitled because the agreement waives rules that normally prevent payments to non- citizen dependents and survivors living outside of the United States.

And the cost of this agreement is completely unpredictable. Neil, you are right, this could bankrupt -- would bankrupt Social Security far faster. The General Accounting Office says there is no way to know how much this monster is going to cost. Just imagine.

CAVUTO: But why -- what do we get out of the, Congressman? If we were to do this -- let's play it out if this is happening.

CULBERSON: Right. Right.

CAVUTO: What do we get out of it?

CULBERSON: Well, it is hard to imagine. It is another reason why the House is the -- frankly, our Republican majority in the House is the only thing stopping this Senate bill that wants to legalize illegals. The White House planned to legalize illegals from taking effect. If the Senate bill passes, this would happen automatically, because all those previously illegal workers are now legal.

They all participate in Social Security. The totalization agreement can, according to the GAO again and according to other reliable sources I have got. But this is the GAO telling us that the agreement extends benefits to illegals and their families, and why don't they show us? I mean, prove me wrong. All.

CAVUTO: All right. Well, we are going to leave that challenge up to the.

CULBERSON: the State Department has to do is show us, show us.

CAVUTO: We are going to leave that challenge up to the Social Security Administration, John. But thank you very much.

CULBERSON: Hey, thank you for covering this.

CAVUTO: Congressman John Culberson on Capitol Hill.