Ritchie Continues Fight for Tough Immigration Bill
Filed Under Caucus, McConnell, Ritchie, Top News | Leave a Comment
Vows to shut down Senate to get vote on bill.
Columbia, SC - Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg) today continued his fight for a tough illegal immigration reform bill. Senator Ritchie took the Senate floor and vowed to shut down all other legislation until senators agree to address a stronger standard for private employer verification by removing the I-9 from the list of options available to confirm someone’s employment eligibility. Senator Ritchie offered an amendment to H.3032 that would remove the federal I-9, leaving E-Verify and the South Carolina Driver’s License as the primary methods of confirming employment eligibility for new hires.
“I made a commitment to the people of South Carolina to use every method available to get a strong illegal immigration bill through the General Assembly this session; today is the next step in that commitment,” says Senator Ritchie. “There is not another issue more important than illegal immigration this legislative session.”
The Senate continues its efforts to create a strong, comprehensive illegal immigration reform bill for the people of South Carolina. As the failures of the I-9 system become more apparent, the Senate continues to look for opportunities to create the strongest bill possible and stem the flow of illegal immigration into the state. Using the House bill prevents the House from rejecting the bill due to the procedural requirements of the May 1 crossover deadline.
“I applaud Senator Ritchie in his efforts to get E-Verify through the Senate,” says Senate President Pro Tempore Senator Glen McConnell (R-Charleston). “This is the number one issue for the people of South Carolina. The House has created a logjam in the conference committee and the Senate continues to look for new opportunities to produce a tough illegal immigration reform bill this session. The Senate is still the only chamber that has voted on private employers and we are working to make sure the House finally has the opportunity to vote on the issue of private employers.”
E-Verify is an Internet-based system operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in partnership with the Social Security Administration. E-Verify is currently free to employers and is available in all 50 states. E-Verify provides an automated link to federal databases to help employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
The Senate adjourned today with Senator Ritchie retaining the floor. Additional debate on E-Verify and illegal immigration is expected to continue when the Senate convenes tomorrow (Wednesday, April 30) at 11:00 A.M.
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Senate Summary
Filed Under Campsen, Caucus, Leatherman, McConnell, Ritchie, Top News | Leave a Comment
Week of April 22 - 24, 2008
Quote of the Week– “The people of South Carolina deserve better
than what the House is doing. The House has tried to kill this bill
twice this year and they are now hiding behind some strange
interpretation of the rules to avoid delivering strong illegal
immigration reform to the people of South Carolina.”
Senator Jim Ritchie (R-Spartanburg), Chairman of the Joint Legislative
Conference Committee on illegal immigration reform, commenting on the
events of the past week by the House of Representatives and their
refusal to seek approval for free negotiating powers. Read more
House Vote Needed to Resolve Stalemate
Filed Under Caucus, McConnell, Ritchie, Top News | Leave a Comment
Senate ready to move.
Columbia, SC- Today the South Carolina Senate called on the House to seek a vote for free conference powers that will allow their joint legislative committee members to meet in open negotiations with Senate members to end the current stalemate on illegal immigration reform. Two-days ago the House agreed to take a vote on true immigration reform but unfortunately used excuses to remain silent on the issue. Verification options for private employers is the only major hurdle left to reach an agreement.
“Sadly, the House dropped the ball in drafting any provisions, so the Senate version of the bill is the only bill that addresses private employer verification. Unless the House is willing to accept that version of the bill or give its committee members free conference powers to add new provisions, they are killing this bill,” says Senate Pro Tempore Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston). “They had over a year to write provisions on private employer verification but failed to do so in either our bill or their bill.”
McConnell went on to say, “The only way we are going to move this discussion forward is for the House to act by voting to grant free conference power to their joint committee members on immigration reform.” Read more
Letter from Senator McConnell to Representative Harrison on Immigration Reform
Filed Under Caucus, McConnell, Top News | 2 Comments
Please find below a letter from Senator McConnell to Representative Harrison on immigration reform:
Dear Mr. Harrison:
I am in receipt of the Speaker’s letter to Senator Ritchie and to each member of the conference committee on immigration reform, and I feel compelled to respond so that the House conferees understand not only the constraints under which they operate but also the constraints under which the Senators Ritchie, Campsen, and Sheheen must operate.
Click here to download the rest of the letter.
