Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 108 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 150 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2004 No. 123 House of Representatives The House met at 12:30 p.m. and was I am proud to be an original cospon- eliminate as much as 98 percent of ille- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- sor of this important bill introduced by gal border crossings if we can give em- pore (Mr. SHUSTER). the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. ployers access to verifiable identity in- f HASTERT) not only because it takes ex- formation on prospective employees tensive steps to reform our intelligence and if we crack down on employers who DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO agencies, but also because it addresses hire illegal workers. Ninety-eight per- TEMPORE a critical threat to our national secu- cent is a remarkable number, and it The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- rity: The porous nature of our borders. would allow the Border Patrol to focus fore the House the following commu- We know it is far too easy for illegal on targeting criminal aliens and ter- nication from the Speaker: immigrants to cross the border into rorists. WASHINGTON, DC, this country, and we cannot ignore the Because of this, Mr. Speaker, I intro- October 4, 2004. fact that terrorists can gain access to duced H.R. 5111, the Bonner Plan, to I hereby appoint the Honorable BILL SHU- the United States this way. improve the security of our Social Se- STER to act as Speaker pro tempore on this So I am particularly pleased that as curity cards and provide a method by day. we worked on this bill, we were able to which employers could immediately J. DENNIS HASTERT, verify the authenticity of that Social Speaker of the House of Representatives. include measures to strengthen our on- going efforts to eliminate illegal bor- Security card. My bill would also in- f der crossings. This legislation adds crease fines for hiring an illegal worker MORNING HOUR DEBATES 10,000 new border patrol agents to by 400 percent, and provide for prison intercept illegal immigrants and po- sentences of up to 5 years per count. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- A major first step toward passage of tential terrorists, as well as 4,000 new ant to the order of the House of Janu- the Bonner plan in its entirety has ary 20, 2004, the Chair will now recog- immigration enforcement investigators been the inclusion of very important nize Members from lists submitted by to track illegal immigrants down with- provisions to combat identity fraud in the majority and minority leaders for in our borders. These 14,000 new agents H.R. 10 which we will be passing as I morning hour debates. The Chair will are badly needed and will immediately said this week. H.R. 10 includes new alternate recognition between the par- improve illegal immigrant interdiction Federal minimum standards to ensure ties, with each party limited to not to and interception operations. the integrity of both driver’s licenses exceed 30 minutes, and each Member, Additionally, H.R. 10 allows for expe- and birth certificates, both of which except the majority leader, the minor- dited deportation of illegal immigrants are widely used source documents ity leader, or the minority whip, lim- and limits the ability of potential ter- which allow illegal immigrants to ob- ited to not to exceed 5 minutes. rorists to claim political asylum to tain other documents and access to so- The Chair recognizes the gentleman avoid being repatriated to their home cial services. These new Federal stand- from California (Mr. DREIER) for 5 min- country. All of these measures will up- ards will increase the difficulty for ille- utes. grade our ability to win the battle that gal immigrants to hide the true nature f is taking place every day along our of their illegal status in our country. borders. And similar to the Bonner plan, H.R. H.R. 10 WILL IMPROVE HOMELAND Perhaps most notably, H.R. 10 in- 10 improves the privacy and integrity SECURITY cludes provisions to counter the explo- of an individual’s Social Security num- Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, this week sive increase in identity fraud com- ber, limits the number of replacement we will consider what is perhaps the mitted by illegal immigrants and ter- Social Security cards a person may re- most significant piece of legislation of rorists. This issue is of paramount con- ceive, and investigates whether the So- this Congress. Following the tragic cern to me, because I firmly believe cial Security number itself can be used events of September 11, 2001, we all rec- that if we can eliminate job access for as a tool to verify a worker’s author- ognized that we had to take dramatic illegal immigrants, then we will be ization to work in the United States. steps to ensure that it never happens much closer to completing our ulti- All of these provisions are vitally im- again. H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommenda- mate goal of eliminating illegal immi- portant to the war against illegal im- tions Implementations Act, is the cul- gration. migration and the war on terrorism, so mination of years of extensive study, In fact, Mr. Speaker, T.J. Bonner, a I stand here today to enthusiastically debate and dedication by those who are 26-year veteran of the Border Patrol, express my support for passage of H.R. committed to improving our Nation’s and president of the National Border 10 with the immigration measures fully homeland security. Patrol Council, estimates that we can intact. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H7947 . VerDate Aug 04 2004 04:37 Oct 05, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A04OC7.000 H04PT1 H7948 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE October 4, 2004 Since I introduced it on September I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the OFFICE OF THE CLERK, 21, the Bonner plan, H.R. 5111, has re- United States of America, and to the Repub- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ceived interest and support from many lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Washington, DC, October 1, 2004. of my colleagues, including Senators indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Hon. J. DENNIS HASTERT, The Speaker, House of Representatives, KYLE, CORNYN and CHAMBLISS. The bill f Washington, DC. also garnered a unique group and I be- DEAR MR. SPEAKER: Pursuant to the per- lieve unprecedented group of bipartisan mission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of cosponsors, including the gentleman MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE the Rules of the U.S. House of Representa- from Texas (Mr. REYES), a past chair- A message from the Senate by Mr. tives, the Clerk received the following mes- man of the Congressional Hispanic Monahan, one of its clerks, announced sage from the Secretary of the Senate on Oc- Caucus, as well as the gentleman from tober 1, 2004 at 11:00 a.m.: that the Senate has passed with an That the Senate passed without amend- Colorado (Mr. TANCREDO), the chair- amendment in which the concurrence ment H.R. 2408. man of the Immigration Reform Cau- of the House is requested, bills of the That the Senate passed without amend- cus. We all share the goal of elimi- House of the following titles: ment H.R. 2771. nating illegal immigration, and I hope H.R. 1533. An act to amend the securities That the Senate passed without amend- very much that we are able to see full laws to permit church pension plans to be in- ment H. Con. Res. 501. and enthusiastic support for H.R. 10 as vested in collective trusts. With best wishes, I am we move ahead with it this week. H.R. 2714. An act to reauthorize the State Sincerely, Justice Institute. JEFF TRANDAHL, f Clerk of the House. H.R. 4278. An act to amend the Assistive RECESS Technology Act of 1998 to support programs f The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- of grants to States to address the assistive ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair technology needs of individuals with disabil- ities, and for other purposes. APPOINTMENT TO COMMISSION ON declares the House in recess until 2 ABRAHAM LINCOLN STUDY p.m. today. The message also announced that the ABROAD FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Accordingly (at 12 o’clock and 37 Senate has passed without amendment The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- minutes p.m.), the House stood in re- a bill of the House of the following ant to section 104(c)(1)(I) of the Con- cess until 2 p.m. title: solidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (P.L. f H.R. 5105. An act to authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to 108–199), and the order of the House of b 1400 carry out construction and related activities December 8, 2003, the Chair announces in support of the collaborative Very Ener- that the Speaker and minority leader AFTER RECESS getic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array of the House, with the majority and The recess having expired, the House System (VERITAS) project on Kitt Peak minority leaders of the Senate, jointly was called to order by the SPEAKER near Tucson, Arizona.