Dear Friends,

I’m pleased to share that an amendment introduced by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to the FY2010 Homeland Security Appropriations bill that would require federal contractors use E-Verify as well as make the successful program permanent passed the Senate today by voice vote.

I’m glad to see the Senate stepped up on E-Verify since Democrats in the House failed to get the job done.  E-Verify works and there is absolutely no reason American taxpayer dollars used to pay federal contractors should go to employ people here illegally. I offered similar amendments to various appropriations bills and although each one faced stiff resistance from Pelosi Majority, I’m pleased to see they could no longer run from the facts. Today proponents of E-Verify claim an important victory for the program.

I offered an amendment to the Appropriations Committee mark up of the FY2010 Homeland Security Appropriations bill that would have made E-Verify a permanent voluntary program.  The amendment failed on a mostly party line vote.  I  also offered an amendment to the committee mark up of the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill which would have required entities receiving funds from the bill to participate in E-Verify.  The amendment also failed on a party line vote.

Today, I could not be more pleased that the Senate has moved the issue forward and also by Secretary Napolitano’s comments that she supports the rule requiring federal contractors to use E-Verify. The tired arguments used against the program have been finally put to rest and we can now move forward on the next step: requiring all employers in the U.S. to use E-Verify. In January, I introduced H.R. 19, which would require all employers in the U.S. to use E-Verify.

To read more about today’s action on E-Verify, visit The Orange County Register where you can also take a poll on whether you think all employers should be required to use E-Verify.

Sincerely,

KEN CALVERT
Member of Congress