Johnson votes to create a legal U.S. workforce
By Stephanie Flemmons, Staff Writer
(Created: Monday, August 4, 2008 3:27 PM CDT)


U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (R-Texas), a long time critic of illegal immigration, voted for a bill that extends the current immigration worksite enforcement system known as E-Verify.

E-Verify, is a partnership between the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security that allows employers to check the work authorization status of newly hired employees.

McCall Avery, Johnson’s press secretary, said this is a voluntary plan for employers to use and the only tool in the government that offers to help employers comply with immigration laws.

She said Johnson plans to reintroduce the bill to make it a mandatory system to the next Congress.

“Mr. Johnson was an original cosponsor of the bill and as the Senior Republican on the Social Security Subcommittee was instrumental in reaching the compromise that made the legislation possible,â€