Nunnelee Applauds Inclusion of E-Verify, Gun Rights in Energy and Water Bill

Press Release

The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2013 Energy and Water and Related Agencies Appropriations bill by voice vote. Congressman Alan Nunnelee (R-Miss.) fought to include, for the second straight year, language that would ban any federal agency funded by the bill from hiring an employee that has not been cleared through the E-Verify Program.

"This is a common sense, responsible solution to the problem of illegal employment. The magnetthat brings illegal immigrants to America is jobs; we need to ensure that jobs go to people that are in the country legally," Nunnelee said.

Congressman Nunnelee also offered an amendment that would allow law-abiding citizens to legally possess firearms on Army Corps of Engineers Water Resource Development lands. The Corps owns or manages over 11.7 million acres, including 400 lakes and river projects, 90,000 campsites and 4,000 miles of trails. The Nunnelee Amendment will help make the laws and regulations that govern firearms on federal lands more uniform and fair. It passed by voice vote.

"This amendment gets rid of senseless government regulation and expands the rights of law-abiding gun owners; there is no good reason to prevent citizens from protecting themselves on Army Corps land," Nunnelee said. "I am always looking for opportunities to defend the 2nd Amendment and am thankful that the committee agreed."

The funding level included in the bill, $32.1 billion, is in line with the House-passed budget, sometimes referred to as the "Ryan Budget," and is $965 million less than the President's budget requested. It has been over 1,000 days since the Democrat-controlled Senate has offered a budget.

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