House Members Push for Verification

Friday, November 6, 2009, 3:22 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Seven House Members held a press conference earlier today on the East Lawn of the Capitol Building showing their support for stronger verification in the health care reform bill. NumbersUSA's Director of Government Relations Rosemary Jenks also spoke with the House Members. See the video and transcript of her statement.

Rosemary Jenks with Rep. Joe Wilson

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) led the press conference and was joined by Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Sam Johnson (R-Texas), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), Ed Royce (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas). Dan Stein from the Federation for American Immigration Reform also spoke. It was Rep. Deal's amendment requiring a strong verification mechanism that was defeated along a party line vote during the House Energy and Commerce Committee's markup.

Rep. Deal

We have a number of Members of Congress along with others from outside organizations to voice our concerns about provisions in the most recent version of the health care reform bill. Our primary concern is that verification of identity and citizenship is not adequately approached in this legislation.

-- Rep. Nathan Deal

There are so many activities that currently require a valid photo ID like getting on an airplane, driving a car, entering a government building, using a credit card, writing a check, or renting a movie at Blockbuster. It's just common sense that Congress would require the same proof of identification for someone to rent a $4 movie as the people accessing thousands of dollars of government health benefits.

-- Rep. Sam Johnson

Rep. Neugebauer

Rep. Blackburn from Tennessee discussed how TennCare, which is the test pilot for a public option, had 10 percent of its growth every year coming from illegal immigration. Rep. Neugebauer said that he will offer an amendment that will require the health care commission to verify the Social Security numbers of new applicants. Rep. Rohrbacher said, "it's our job to represent the people of the United States. No one is saying illegal immigrants aren't good people and good human beings. But we have limited resources in this country and it is a sin against the American people to transfer limited health care funds in the tens of billions of dollars to take care of illegal immigrants while our own people don't have the money for their own health care. Wake up America. ... They're trying to put one over on us."

Click here to read Roy's blog on the illegal alien health care debacle.

Watch Friday's full press conference