PRINTER'S NO. 3266
No. 554 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY SURRA, BELARDI, BELFANTI, GERGELY, BEBKO-JONES,
CRUZ, DeLUCA, EACHUS, GOOD, GRUCELA, HARHAI, JAMES, KOTIK,
LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LESCOVITZ, LEVDANSKY, MARKOSEK, McCALL,
MUNDY, PALLONE, PETRARCA, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS,
SATHER, SOLOBAY, THOMAS, TRAVAGLIO, WALKO AND WATERS,
FEBRUARY 4, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
FEBRUARY 4, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Recommending that the Congress of the United States conduct a
2 study of the Bush administration's program granting
3 undocumented workers legal status in the United States.
4 WHEREAS, On January 7, 2004, President George W. Bush
5 announced a program allowing undocumented workers to legally
6 seek employment in the United States; and
7 WHEREAS, This program leaves many unanswered questions about
8 how the Bush administration will protect the United States from
9 undocumented workers with criminal or terrorist connections; and
10 WHEREAS, At a time of record unemployment, adoption of this
11 program would betray the best interests of the American people
12 by flooding the labor market with temporary workers; and
13 WHEREAS, If their employers do not provide living wages and
14 affordable health coverage, many undocumented workers and their
15 families admitted to the United States through this program will
16 depend on the social service system for health care and
1 education, thereby further straining human services budgets; and
2 WHEREAS, It is essential to all people who work in the United
3 States that the Federal Government enforce labor laws protecting
4 workers' safety and guaranteeing their essential rights;
5 therefore be it
6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
7 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the Congress not to
8 adopt the Bush administration's program legalizing undocumented
9 workers; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That before adoption of this program, the Congress
11 fund and conduct a study of the effects of this program on wages
12 and job opportunities in the United States; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the Federal Government should not grant legal
14 status to any undocumented workers without screening those
15 workers for criminal records and terrorist connections; and be
16 it further
17 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
18 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
19 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
A22L82MSP/20040H0554R3266 - 2 -