Thread: Democrats Undercut Aid For U.S. Workers

Democrats undercut aid for U.S. workers

John Kass
February 11, 2009

With all the hoopla over greasy pork being stuffed into President Barack Obama's near trillion-dollar spending bill, it's what is being cut out that's receiving too little attention.

And once Americans realize it, they won't be happy.

What's been quietly stripped is a provision that would have required any businesses receiving federal stimulus cash to use an easy computer program called E-Verify to make sure that the jobs they generate go to American citizens or documented foreign workers, not illegal immigrants.

Democrats in the House voted for the E-Verify component. But when the great porkulus package reached the Senate, Democrats there dropped it.

Of all the garbage in the bill, there's been little if any discussion about E-Verify. It's so simple that the clarity of it all must insult those nuanced Beltway sensibilities. So what am I supposed to do with that half a loaf of uneaten Hopium in my desk drawer?

"It's another example of why people distrust Congress," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who had pushed for an amendment to the stimulus package mandating that E-Verify be used to certify job applicants.

We spoke over the phone Tuesday minutes after the Senate narrowly passed its version of the stimulus package, 61-37.

I asked Sessions how Americans will react, once they figure it out.

"I think the American people will be furious when they find out about this. The Congress tells them one thing, and then in the dead of night, the Senate maneuvers around and does another," Sessions said. "Those who know are already not happy about it. They see this as one more duplicitous act."

E-Verify, offered free to all employers since 2004 as a way to combat illegal Immigration, allows employers to determine the legal work status of potential employees by searching their names and Social Security numbers along with other databases.

It's cheap to operate, and more than 96 percent of job applicants are cleared by the program within minutes. This makes it almost impossible for employers to skirt the system and hire cheap, illegal labor.

But the House Democrats approved it and Senate Democrats peeled it away, a version of the old political con game played out in Washington to trick the suckers back home.

"They get to tell their constituents, 'See, I voted for it.' But they never really wanted it in the first place," Sessions said.

Meanwhile, Obama campaigns for the bill, warning that without his stimulus package, we'll suffer economic catastrophe. Whatever happened to choosing hope over fear?

"I can tell you that failure to act, doing nothing, is not an option. You didn't send me to Washington to do nothing. So, we had a good debate. That's part of what democracy is about. But the time for talk is over," the president told a highly stimulated crowd Tuesday in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Translation: Debate? What debate? Let's spend it now, and we'll worry about the details later.

Americans understand their politicians. They know that one politician's porkulus is another politician's critically important condom distribution program. Being politicians, they can't help but accuse the other side of not caring about the American worker.

But that's who the E-Verify provision was supposed to protect. Not the construction boss or the slaughterhouse manager who wants to pay as little as possible for labor.

"The chicken processors and some of the chambers of commerce are terrified of E-Verify," Sessions said. "They don't want it made the law of the land. It should become standard operating procedure for every business."

It should be the law of the land. The reason it's not tells you more about American politics—and the Democrats' courtship of Latino voters—than any speech about hope.

This isn't about denying legal immigrants work, whether they hail from Iceland or Mexico. It's about ensuring that the federal system is legit, not full of holes ripe for corruption and big-city political patronage.

Sessions said he'll keep squawking to include the E-Verify provision in the final bill that is sent to the president. And other politicians will no doubt fight for what they deem important in the bill, whether it's that $400 million to prevent sexually transmitted diseases or that $246 million tax break for Hollywood producers.

Whether safe sex and Hollywood help stimulate the economy is something I'll leave to politicians. But what about American workers and American taxpayers?

jskass@tribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/colu ... 719.column

Great column which has 1048 comments so far. We have to get the word out on this and not let Reid and Pelosi think they can quietly slip this by the people with no reprecussions.

"I think the American people will be furious when they find out about this. The Congress tells them one thing, and then in the dead of night, the Senate maneuvers around and does another," Sessions said. "Those who know are already not happy about it. They see this as one more duplicitous act."

Truer Words were never spoken is the phrase that came to my mind.

There are 1,057 comments so far at the source link above.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-3974--0-0.html

Negotiators drop E-Verify mandate from stimulus package
By Chris Strohm CongressDaily February 13, 2009

Senate and House conferees removed a controversial provision from the economic stimulus package that would have required companies to verify the immigration status of their workers.
The decision to strip the measure was hailed by pro-business and pro-immigrant groups, but left fuming those who advocate stricter enforcement of immigration laws.
But in a separate move, conferees kept in the final bill a Senate provision that would restrict the ability of companies receiving federal bailout funds from hiring highly skilled foreign workers, according to congressional aides and industry officials.
Conferees did not retain language in the House-passed version of the stimulus bill that would have required companies to use the so-called E-Verify system, an online tool that employers can use to check Homeland Security and Social Security databases to verify an employee is legally authorized to work in the country. The Senate's version of the stimulus bill did not include such a provision. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce led lobbying efforts to kill the provision, and was joined by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups.
"Removing the problematic employment verification provision from the economic stimulus package will help unemployed Americans get back to work," said Caroline Fredrickson, the ACLU's top Washington lobbyist. "E-Verify is known to create significant delays in hiring new employees, a consequence our economy and American workers should not have to suffer in such difficult economic times."
But House Judiciary ranking member Lamar Smith, R-Texas, called the decision to remove the E-Verify requirement "outrageous" and "a gross disservice" to U.S. citizens and legal immigrant workers. "It is a simple matter of accountability," Smith said. "If the goal is to create jobs and stimulate the American economy, then is it too much to ask that the jobs go to U.S. citizens and legal immigrant workers?" Smith pointed to an analysis from the conservative Heritage Foundation that the stimulus bill would create jobs for about 300,000 undocumented workers without the E-Verify requirement.
The bill's other immigration-related provision would place limits on any company receiving funds under the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program from hiring skilled foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. That provision, added by Senate Finance ranking member Charles Grassley and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is primarily intended to prevent financial institutions from replacing laid off workers with foreigners. Companies would still be able to hire workers through the H-1B program. But they must actively recruit U.S. workers and cannot allow foreigners to displace Americans in the workforce.

www.govexec.com

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

"I think the American people will be furious when they find out about this. The Congress tells them one thing, and then in the dead of night, the Senate maneuvers around and does another," Sessions said. "Those who know are already not happy about it. They see this as one more duplicitous act."

Truer Words were never spoken is the phrase that came to my mind.

Sessions is a good man and correct, Americans have been screaming NO out here with noone listening.....Yes Americans are already furious about the lies, the betrayal and the "could care less" attitude these traitors have.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce led lobbying efforts to kill the provision, and was joined by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups.

This is what killed it imo.

From a portion of Lou's show February 12, 2009
~~~

Up next, Senator Jeff Sessions, Congressman Lamar Smith, they're fighting to save the most effective program against illegal immigration in this country. The Democratic leadership of Congress is doing everything along with President Obama to kill it. Stay with us we are coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DOBBS: E-verify is the federal government's single most effective program against illegal immigration. For that reason the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ethnocentric interest groups all want it dead. Congress has reportedly stripped language now from the so-called stimulus legislation that would have continued funding for the program. Lisa Sylvester has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The White House says that the stimulus package will help create or save more than three million jobs, to make sure those jobs go to American workers and other legal residents, Representative Jack Kingston, a Republican, offered an amendment. It reauthorized the employment verification system known as E-Verify. And mandated the companies that receive stimulus money verify their employees' legal status. But a similar amendment offered by Senator Jeff Sessions was not included in the Senate version. And in conference committee, the employment verification measure was reportedly taken out altogether. Drawing sharp criticism from Republicans.

REP. JACK KINGSTON, (R) GEORGIA: I think it's outrageous. When you think about somebody whose house has been foreclosed or somebody who's been laid off and they've got kids going to college, and their savings had been wiped out, they need a job right now. They're not going to be too picky. And if they hear that illegal aliens are taking some of these jobs that are going to be created from the stimulus package, it will be outrageous. And they should be.

SYLVESTER: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus wrote a letter to the Democratic leadership urging them to take out the provisions. Writing that more and more American citizens are 30 times more likely than native foreign workers to be incorrectly identified as ineligible to work. Other concerns were expressed by business groups. The American Council on International Personnel saying that for its larger members, it would take 12 to 18 months to screen employees. LYNN SHOTWELL, AMER. CNCL. OF INTL. PERSONNEL: We oppose the amendment, however, that would tie stimulus funding to mandatory E- Verify use, because we think it would delay one of the goals of this bill, which is to quickly get funding into infrastructure projects that are shovel-ready.

SYLVESTER: The Numbers USA which favors tighter immigration restrictions are requiring E-Verify only makes sense. If U.S. taxpayers are footing the nearly $800 billion bill, there should be provisions to ensure they should get the jobs.

ROY BECK, NUMBERSUSA: When you start using E-Verify, you immediately start opening up jobs that otherwise go to illegal aliens and you open up to unemployed Americans. And to unemployed legal immigrants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SYLVESTER: The Congressional Hispanic Caucus says they are concerned that the E-Verify program will produce errors in misidentified workers as ineligible but in fact according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which runs E-Verify, 99.5 percent of all work authorized employees are verified without having to take any corrective steps -- Lou.

DOBBS: Let's be really clear. The U.S. Chamber of Congress doesn't want American provisions. The U.S. Chamber of Congress wants the outsourcing of jobs. The U.S. Chamber of Congress wants as many visas as possible to bring unlimited numbers of cheap foreign workers into the country. They want amnesty; they want nothing done to stop illegal immigration. It's disgraceful that the Chamber of Congress even has U.S. in its title. Go ahead.

SYLVESTER: We should mention that we invited the U.S. Chamber of Congress to do an interview on this piece on E-Verify, but they declined our request.

DOBBS: They are many things, the so-called former U.S. Chamber of Congress, I call them. But well, honest and brave, I don't think you can put those two words near them. Thank you very much, appreciate it, Lisa Sylvester.

Now joining me on more of what could be done with E-Verify and working hard to save it, Jeff Sessions, a Republican from Alabama, and Congressman Lamar Smith, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, gentlemen, thanks for being here.

Let me start with you, Senator. We have just heard the U.S. Chamber of Congress, I love that, the U.S. Chamber of Congress, is behind the effort to kill this, which it looks like it's been extraordinarily successful. How come the U.S. Chamber of Congress could be permitted to have U.S. in its title?

SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, (R) ALABAMA: Well, there's no principle vases or argument they can make against this proposal. I just flatly reject the idea that this is going to cause extraordinary delay and expense. It's being done voluntarily by 100,000 different employers in America today voluntarily. They wouldn't do it if it were a burden. I reject that argument.

DOBBS: Congressman Smith, I know you have to be disappointed as Senator Sessions and all of us who care about the country and actually government programs that do work, what steps can be taken now?

REP. LAMAR SMITH, (R) TEXAS: Lou, first of all as you just said, this program does expire in March, and it's incredible that the Democrats are letting it expire. They're literally putting illegal immigrants ahead of American workers. That's what is most disappointing. I think there will be a public outrage over their refusal to protect American workers and try to reduce illegal immigration. Because of that public outrage and I think all true reform starts with the people, I expect and hope that the Democrats will respond and we'll be able to continue this program and even make it mandatory for those who are getting federal contracts with the government.

Anything else simply says that they may talk about reducing illegal immigration, they may talk about saving jobs for American workers, but they don't mean it and their actions don't show it.

DOBBS: Let me ask you both if I may Senator Sessions start with you, a new report from the Migration Policy Institute supported reauthorization of the E-Verify program. At the same time, Janet Napolitano, the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has referred to the E-Verify program as integral to the department's work. Against that backdrop, do you think it will mean anything at all to the debate as to whether it lives or dies?

SESSIONS: I think so. To me it's unthinkable that this would not pass and be extended. But Lou there was definitely planning here. They let the house vote 407-2 to pass this. They kept the Senate from even voting. And they went to conference knowing that they planned to take this language out. So there was a deliberate action, I believe, and I think Lamar might agree, to conduct a process in this fashion that allowed votes to look like people were voting for it, but in fact, there was a plan to undermine it.

DOBBS: Do you agree, Congressman?

SMITH: I certainly do agree with the Senator. This was their intent all along. Again, they talk the words. They want to -- they say they want to protect American jobs or they want to reduce illegal immigration. When it comes to actions, when it comes to actually passing legislation that is going to protect jobs for American workers and will be a disincentive for illegal workers to come into the United States to get those jobs, they frankly are missing in action. The American people are going to find this out and it will be a political and election issue.

DOBBS: A political and election issue. Is it one that you think you will prevail on?

SMITH: I think that we absolutely will. When we're on the side of the American worker and saving those jobs for American workers, you have 11 million people today in the United States who are unemployed. You have 7 million people who are working illegally. Let's get those jobs for American workers.

DOBBS: If you include Senator Sessions, the unemployed, those who have given up on looking for a job, or those who have been unemployed for six months or longer, if you include those who are working part time and want full time jobs that number rises to 22 million. I haven't heard a single elected official start talking about constraining immigration, illegal principally, and even legal immigration against the interest of the American worker. What is going on here?

SESSIONS: I really don't know. They hope this bill will create three to four million jobs. The Heritage Foundation and National Center for Immigration Studies just released a report that said 300,000 illegal people will get jobs, construction jobs under this, if this program is not utilized. So it's a significant portion of what is expected to be a jobs bill, a very poor jobs bill, I'm afraid, but it will deny a lot of good Americans good jobs that they would otherwise get.

DOBBS: Senator Sessions thank you very much. Congressman Smith thank you very much.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... dt.01.html

not let Reid and Pelosi think they can quietly slip this by the people with no reprecussions.

WOULD BE BETTER TO JUST GET RID OF BOTH OF THEM!

In meetings around the world with U.S. and foreign intelligence leaders, Pelosi has urged for greater attention to the threats to international security posed by the proliferation of technologies associated with the weapons of mass destruction and global terrorism.

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/biography/bio.html

So why does she not fight the onslaught from the Southern borders. I would not only call that terroristic but an INVASION!