The National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small business association, today announced its strong support for H.R. 5515, the "New Employee Verification Act of 2008," introduced by U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson (Texas) and cosponsored by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.)

This bipartisan legislation takes into account concerns small business owners have with illegal immigration by creating an electronic employment eligibility verification system (EEVS) that seeks to balance increased enforcement objectives while limiting the regulatory burdens placed on smaller businesses. The U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security held a hearing to review H.R. 5515 and other employee verification systems on Tuesday, May 6, at 10 a.m. in room B-318 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

"In order for immigration reforms to be successful the enforcement provisions need to be workable, efficient and fair without over burdening small business owners. NFIB commends Reps. Johnson and Giffords for their leadership on this issue," said Dan Danner, executive vice president of NFIB.

NFIB supports an EEVS that takes into account:

• the size of an employer in its fee structure,
  
  
  
• includes a reasonable limit on small business penalties and
  
  
  
• reduces such penalties on first time offenders,
  
  
  
• prohibits penalties for good faith violations,
  
  
  
• protects employers from liability if incorrect information on a worker is given by the EEVS,
  
  
  
• reduces paperwork burdens, and
  
  
  
• contains an appropriate phase in time of the new EEVS system.

The New Employee Verification Act of 2008 addresses many of the small business concerns expressed by NFIB members. According to recent NFIB Research Foundation polls:

• More than 90 percent of NFIB members believe that illegal immigration is a serious problem;
  
  
  
• 86 percent say that finding a solution should be a "very high" or "high" priority for Congress and the administration;
  
  
  
• 73 percent of NFIB members agreed that employers should be required to use a government run verification system; and
  
  
  
• 83 percent stated that employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants should be subject to fines or other penalties.

"It is clearly time for the federal government to step up and address our broken immigration enforcement system. The New Employee Verification Act of 2008 imposes strict employee verification requirements on employers while recognizing that small employers acting in good faith to comply with the law should not be excessively penalized," said Johnson. "I believe this legislation strikes the right balance between improving our employee verification system and ensuring that the new system is workable for business owners."

"Arizona businesses are on the frontlines of the employer verification debate because our state has enacted the toughest employer sanctions law in the country. Their experiences have been frustrating and complicated," said Giffords. "We can do better. H.R. 5515 offers a practical alternative that would preempt state employee verification laws and provide a streamlined and reliable system for companies to comply with our immigration laws."

"Small business owners believe that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, and they want Congress to act and provide employers with a workable nation wide employee verification system. This is not an issue that should be left up to the states to enact 50 different programs," said Danner. "NFIB looks forward to working with all members of Congress to ensure that immigration reforms are workable and fair for small employers."

NFIB is the nation's leading small business advocacy association, with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's powerful network of grassroots activists send their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system. NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.

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