IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 685 

Calling on the Governor of the State of Illinois to defend the right of 

employers to employee verification. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 

Mr. KIRK (for himself, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. SHIMKUS, and Mr. 

ROSKAM) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee 

on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Governor of the State of Illinois to defend 

the right of employers to employee verification. 

Whereas every employer in the United States should have the 

right to verify the legal status of potential employees; 

Whereas in 1996, Republicans and Democrats in the Congress came together in a strong bipartisan vote of 305 

to 123 to establish pilot programs to give employers the 

right to verify the legal status of potential employees; 

Whereas Federal law continues to make the Basic Pilot Program (‘‘E–Verify’’) available to all employers; 

Whereas the Basic Pilot Program is a free, Internet-based 

system providing employers real-time links to the Social 


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•HRES 685 IH 

Security Administration database and immigration 

records to quickly verify the legal status of potential employees; 

Whereas the Basic Pilot Program fulfills the right of every 

American employer to verify the legal status of potential 

employees; 

Whereas Illinois law (Public Act 095–0138) now prohibits Illinois employers from enrolling in the Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the Basic Pilot Program, to verify legal status unless no mistakes are made; 

Whereas the Illinois Act denies employers the right to employee verification in violation of Federal law; 

Whereas on December 11, 2001, United States Representative Rod R. Blagojevich joined with every member of 

Congress to unanimously pass the Basic Pilot Extension 

Act of 2001, extending the right to verify the legal status 

of potential employees to every American employer; 

Whereas on August 13, 2007, contrary to his previous support in Congress, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich approved 

Public Act 095–0138; and 

Whereas on September 24, 2007, the United States of America filed suit against the State of Illinois in the United 

States District Court Central District of Illinois: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the basic right of every employer 

3 in the United States to verify the legal status of a 

4 potential employee; 


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•HRES 685 IH 

1 (2) supports the bipartisan Basic Pilot Program 

2 as an effective tool giving employers the ability to 

3 verify the legal status of potential employees; 

4 (3) calls on the Illinois State legislature to re5 peal Illinois Public Act 095–0138, which violates 

6 Federal law by denying employers the right to verify 

7 the legal status of potential employees; and 

8 (4) calls on the Governor of the State of Illinois 

9 to file an amicus brief in the case of United States 

10 v. Illinois supporting the plaintiff’s conclusion that 

11 Illinois Public Act 095–0138 violates the Supremacy 

12 Clause of the United States Constitution. 

Æ 


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