Lamar Smith

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], chairman of the Committee on International Relations. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California [Mr. McKeon].

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California [Mr. Cunningham].

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Gallegly], the chairman of the House task force on illegal immigration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California [Mr. Dornan].

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, the comments by opponents of this legislation simply do not represent the views of most Americans. They do not even represent the desires of a majority of the Members of their own party. Every substantive provision in this compromise conference report has already been supported by a majority of Democrats and a majority of Republicans either in the House or Senate. I find it curious that when the American people want us to reduce illegal immigration, every single criticism made by the opponents of this bill would make it easier for illegal aliens to enter or stay in the country, or it would make it easier for noncitizens to get Federal benefits paid for by the taxpayer.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 528, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2202) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to improve deterrence of illegal immigration to the United States by increasing Border Patrol and investigative personnel, by increasing penalties for alien smuggling and for document fraud, by reforming exclusion and deportation law and procedures, by improving the verification system for eligibility for employment, and through other measures, to reform the legal immigration system and facilitate legal entries into the United States, and for other purposes.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this conference report gives Congress the best opportunity in decades to address the illegal immigration crisis. Every 3 years, enough illegal aliens enter the country permanently to populate a city the size of Boston or Dallas or San Francisco. Classrooms bulge; welfare jumps; the crime rate soars. Innocent victims pay the price, and law-abiding taxpayers foot the bill. This bill secures America's borders, penalizes alien smugglers, expedites the removal of criminal and illegal aliens, prevents illegal aliens from taking American jobs, and ends noncitizens' abuse of the welfare system. By doubling the number of Border Patrol agents and securing our borders, we will protect our communities from the burdens imposed by illegal immigration: crime, drug trafficking, and increased demands on local police and social services. The benefits of securing our borders will be felt not only in border States but throughout the entire Nation. If we cannot control who enters our country, such as illegal aliens, we cannot control what enters our country, such as illegal drugs. To control who enters, this bill increases criminal penalties for alien smuggling and document fraud. The Nation cannot allow alien smuggling to continue, especially since many alien smugglers are also kingpins in the illegal drug trade. Illegal aliens should be removed from the United States immediately and effectively. Illegal aliens take jobs, public benefits, and engage in criminal activity. In fact, one-quarter of all Federal prisoners are illegal aliens. This bill will lower the crime rate, lower the cost of imprisoning illegal aliens, and make our communities safer places to live. This legislation also relieves employers of a high level of uncertainty they face by streamlining the hiring process. It makes the job application process easier for our citizens and legal residents by establishing voluntary employment quick-check pilot programs in 5 States. The quick-check system will give employers the certainty and stability of a legal work force. Since the beginning of this century, immigrants have been admitted to the United States on a promise that they will not use public benefits. Yet every year the number of noncitizens applying for certain welfare programs increases an astonishing 50 percent. America should continue to welcome those who want to work and produce and contribute, but we should discourage those who come to live off the taxpayer. America should keep out the welcome mat but not become a doormat. This legislation also ensures that those who sponsor immigrants will have sufficient means to support them. Just as we require deadbeat dads to provide for the children they bring into the world, we should require deadbeat sponsors to provide for the immigrants they bring into the country. By requiring sponsors to demonstrate the means to fulfill their financial obligations, we make sure that taxpayers are not stuck with the bill, now $26 billion a year in benefits to noncitizens. The provisions in this conference report are not new. These are the same reforms that passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 333 to 87, and in the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 97 to 3. And these are the same reforms that President Clinton has urged Congress to pass and send to his desk. This bill will benefit American families, workers, employers, and taxpayers across the Nation, but especially in California, Texas, Florida, and other States that face the illegal immigration crisis on a daily basis. Mr. Speaker, America is not just a nation of immigrants. It is a nation of immigrants committed to personal responsibility and the rule of law. It is time for Congress to stand with the American people and approve this conference report. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds and say that the last provision that the gentleman from Michigan referred to was in the Senate bill which passed by 97 to 3. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hyde], the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. (Mr. HYDE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California [Mrs. Seastrand], who has been such a fighter in our effort to reduce illegal immigration.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Goodlatte], a member of the Committee on the Judiciary. (Mr. GOODLATTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Coburn], one of the only two medical doctors in the House. (Mr. COBURN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds to say what the bill says, and that is it does not deny AIDS treatment to legal immigrants. It simply says the immigrant's sponsor, not the American taxpayer, should pay for the treatment.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his generous comments. I feel the same. Mr. Speaker, for the sake of American families, American workers, and American taxpayers, we have to pass immigration reform right now. To secure our borders is a worthy effort. If we secure our borders, we are going to reduce crime, we are going to reduce the number of illegal aliens coming into the country, we are going to protect jobs for American workers, and we are going to save taxpayers billions and billions of dollars. In addition to that, we have to distinguish and say to legal immigrants, we want you if you are going to come to contribute and work and produce, but you cannot come to take advantage of the taxpayer. I urge my colleagues to vote for this conference report, and against the motion to recommit.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Stearns]. (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Foley].

Mr. SMITH of Texas

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and for his help.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Would States be allowed to consider a parents' motive when deciding to terminate parental rights or seek reunification of this family, and could this include sincerely held religious beliefs of the parents?

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I also see a new section has been added that requires the States to include in their State laws, as statutory grounds for termination of parental rights, conviction of parents for certain specified crimes against children. It also eliminates the Federal mandate that States must seek reunification of the convicted parent with surviving children. Given the crimes that have been specified, a murder or voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault, it appears what we are addressing is a parent who deliberately takes a life or seriously injuries his child.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Does the bill address States' authority to pursue any legal remedies necessary to provide medical care or treatment when such care or treatment is necessary to prevent or remedy serious harm to the child, or to prevent the withholding of medically indicated treatment from children with life-threatening conditions?

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is my further understanding that we have clarified that issue in the rule of construction before us.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank my friend from Pennsylvania, Mr. Goodling, who is the chairman of the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities for yielding this time to me, but I also want to thank him and the many others who have helped us reach an agreement on such an important subject. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that under CAPTA, States have been allowed to exempt parents from prosecution on grounds of medical neglect if the parent was employing alternative means of healing as part of the parent's religious practice. CAPTA also has required the States to have procedures in place to report, investigate and intervene in situations where children are being denied medical care needed to prevent harm.