Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me say I have a poster here outlining the benefits that undocumented workers bring to the economy with a Social Security card that they will never get benefits from.
You know, I was thinking, why in God's name are we bringing up this legislation? What is it about this? What am I missing? And I finally figured it out. Why are we going after small businesses in the United States? Why are we going after farmers and ranchers in this Nation? Why would we be turning over more Federal agents, Federal investigators on small businesses?
Remember, we are not talking about the cash economy because workers and people that operate in the cash economy don't need a Social Security number. We are talking here about small businesses, employers and employees that are trying to do the right thing.
Under this legislation, we are going to give small businesses a choice. You obey the law, fire those employees that are questionable, and you go out of business; or you break the law, keep those workers that are questionable, and stay in business. Again, employees and small businesses.
One of these employees that is caught with one of these IDs is going to implicate the small business owner. That is called a conspiracy, which is also a major crime.
California has the fourth largest economy in the world. It is the number one ag nation in the country. We export 40 percent of our food or ag product. Most of those workers are undocumented. Most of those workers that feed us are undocumented.
So let me get this right. We have a shortage of farmworkers. We are trying to bring back manufacturing.
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Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, we have a shortage of farmworkers. We have a shortage of manufacturing employees. We are trying to bring back jobs from China, and we are saying to the small businesses, to the farmers, you can't hire these people. If you do, you are a criminal, and you are going to jail.
Let's all take a deep breath. Let's give these workers a green card so they can work in the U.S. They are honest. If they were dishonest, they would be working for cash, but they are trying to do the right thing.
Mr. Speaker, this is not the right time for this legislation. I ask my colleagues to vote ``no,'' protect small business owners, and protect our farmers throughout the country.
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