As the new Congress will wrestle with many issues, including Social Security and how to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States, I have chosen to co-sponsor, with my good friend from Texas, Mr. Carter, a bill which will close a loophole in the Social Security law which actually encourages illegal immigration.

The bill, H.R. 332, prohibits the Social Security Administration from paying out benefits for unauthorized work in the United States by illegal immigrants.

Currently, a person obtaining American citizenships is allowed the full benefits resulting from ALL wages he has earned. This means an immigrant authorized to be, as well as work, the United States who becomes a citizen is entitled to what they are owed by SSA for their full time in the U.S. This is how it should be, and this is how we should be welcoming to those who come here from different lands, follow our laws, and choose to become American.

However, as we move forward in the immigration debate, there will be discussion of some sort of amnesty (no matter what the official term is) which will give a person who is here illegally the opportunity for citizenship. This is where the issue lies. Unless the SSA law is changed, then the benefits due to be paid for immigrant workers will also be paid to those who are living and working ILLEGALLY in the United States.

There is no provision in current law to differentiate between SSA benefits earned by legal and illegal immigrants. H.R. 332 is designed to close the loophole in the law that will give the same benefits to unauthorized work done by an illegal immigrant and a legal immigrant who followed the rules and worked hard for the American Dream.

posted by Boozman Press Office  # 1/16/2007 02:05:00 PM

At this point I'll support the president, but I want very much to know that those benchmarks are being followed," Boozman told 5NEWS.

(snip)

Congressman Boozman says he's heard a lot of criticism about the president's plan, but he's yet to hear another one put forth by the president's opponents.

posted by Boozman Press Office  # 1/12/2007 07:58:00 AM

"I believe if you increase costs in one area, you must reduce costs to balance it all out," Boozman said. "Instead, Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and the Democrats have ignored their own rhetoric by forcing small businesses to increase costs without providing them a way to balance it out with tax relief."

posted by Boozman Press Office  # 1/12/2007 07:24:00 AM

"I'd like to be reassured that we have a plan," Boozman said, marking his first comments critical of the war. "At this point, I think all of us have some real concerns about the direction of the war, and certainly the president has some concerns, and this is a shift in strategy."

(snip)

"Congress doesn't need to micromanage the conflict," Boozman said. "I can't imagine people being really serious about that."

posted by Boozman Press Office  # 1/10/2007 09:11:00 AM

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Democrats, are playing politics with the security of the American people with today’s votes on "adopting" the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

During the 2006 campaign Democrats made a promise to "close the remaining gaps in our security by enacting the 9/11 Commission recommendations."

Today, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have chosen to break that promise, as they have broken the promise to include the GOP in the legislative process, work in a bipartisan manner, and work five-days per week.

The 9/11 Commission recommended real oversight with the creation of either a joint committee or a separate House committee to oversee intelligence. Instead, we get a panel of Members which is buried in bureaucracy.

Americans deserve an intelligence community which has the tools it needs to keep us safe, and the accountability to Congress to ensure the community is doing its job. Today's votes do not accomplish this.

It is troubling to see the Speaker would rather guarantee the collective bargaining rights of TSA employees, rather than guarantee the safety of all Americans.

This is playing politics with security, and represents a missed opportunity by Democrats.

posted by Boozman Press Office  # 1/09/2007 12:35:00 PM