MANDATORY E-VERIFY: 4 Co-Sponsor Grassley Bill (Boozman, Rubio, Sessions, Wicker)

Senators John Boozman, Marco Rubio, Jeff Sessions, and Roger Wicker are among the nine original co-sponsors to Senator Chuck Grassley’s mandatory E-Verify bill offered last week. The bill would require all businesses to use E-Verify for new hires within 1 year of enactment and require all current employees be checked within 3 years of enactment.

Sen. Grassley’s bill would:

Make permanent the E-Verify program that was created in 1996;
Make E-Verify mandatory for all employers within one year of date of enactment;
Clarify that federal contractors and the Federal Government (executive and legislative branches) must use it, and allows the Secretary to require “critical employers” to use it immediately;
Increase penalties for employers who don’t use the system or illegally hire undocumented workers;
Reduce the liability that employers face if they participate in E-Verify when it involves the wrongful termination of an individual;
Allow employers to use E-Verify before a person is hired, if the applicant consents;
Require employers to check the status of existing employees within 3 years;
Require employers to re-verify a person’s status if their employment authorization is due to expire;
Require employers to terminate the employment of those found unauthorized to work due to a check through E-Verify;
Help ensure that the Social Security Administration catches multiple use of Social Security numbers by requiring them to develop algorithms to detect anomalies;
Amend the criminal code to make clear that defendants who possess or otherwise use identity information not their own without lawful authority and in the commission of another felony is still punishable for aggravated identity fraud, regardless of the defendant’s “knowledge” of the victim;
Establish a demonstration project in a rural area or area without internet capabilities to assist small businesses in complying with the participation requirement; and
Provide an offset to pay for any upgrades or expenses required by the legislation using unobligated funds from various departments.

Sen. Boozman is serving his first term in the Senate representing Arkansas after serving five terms in the House. He has earned a career A grade.

Sen. Rubio is serving his first term in the Senate representing Florida. During the 2010 elections, he campaigned for mandatory E-Verify.

Sen. Sessions is serving his 3rd term in the Senate representing Alabama. He has earned a career A+ grade.

Sen. Wicker is serving his first term in the Senate representing Mississippi after serving six terms in the House. He has earned a career A- grade.

For a full list of co-sponsors for Grassley’s E-Verify bill, click here.