Sen. Sessions Offers E-Verify Amendment to DHS Appropriations Bill

Updated Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 8:01 AM

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) introduced an amendment to the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations bill that would require federal contractors to use E-Verify and permanently reauthorize the workplace verification tool, which is set to expire this fall. The Senate is expected to vote on the amendment on Wednesday.

Sessions offered a five-year E-Verify extension to the omnibus spending bill in March, but the amendment was tabled by a 47-to-50 vote (see tracker to the right).

E-Verify has been endorsed by members of the Obama Administration, including DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.

"The Administration strongly supports E-Verify as a cornerstone of worksite enforcement and will work to continually improve the program to ensure it is the best tool available to prevent and deter the hiring of persons who are not authorized to work in the United States," Napolitano said.

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) offered a similar amendment to the House version of the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, requiring the mandatory use of E-Verify, but it was defeated in committee. An amendment offered by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) that would prevent DHS funding used to employ illegal workers as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act passed during a floor vote.

For many NumbersUSA members, there is a phone note on your Action Buffet with instructions to call your Senator(s).

http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/ ... -bill.html

AND - House of Representatives:

Rep. Jack Kingston Offers E-Verify Amendments to House Appropriation Mark-ups

Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 7:03 AM

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) has offered E-Verify amendments to the appropriation mark-ups for both the 2010 Energy and Finance spending bills and is expected to offer the same amendments on Friday during the mark-ups of the Labor and Health and Human Services spending bills.

Rep. Kingston, a member of the House Appropriations Committee which marks up the bills before they reach the House floor for a final vote, has offered the same E-Verify amendments to other 2010 spending bills already considered by the Committee. The amendments would require that federal contractors receiving funding from any of the bills use E-Verify to ensure their workers are documented workers.

http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/ ... e-ups.html