Deal continues to push health care bill amendment

WASHINGTON - Congressman Nathan Deal is pushing the Senate to include his identification and citizenship verification language in the Senate health care bill.

It would prohibit tax dollars from being used to provide health care benefits to illegal immigrants.

The Gainesville Republican tried unsuccessfully to have it included in the House health care overhaul bill.

Deal made his request in a letter sent Wednesday to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.

In the letter Rep. Deal said the people of Georgia and the American people have spoken in firm opposition to allowing those who have illegally entered into the U.S. to receive taxpayer-funded social welfare benefits.

The text of the letter is as follows:



November 18, 2009



The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Senate Republican Leader

361-A Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510



The Honorable Saxby Chambliss

United States Senator

416 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510



The Honorable Johnny Isakson

United States Senator

120 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510



Dear Leader McConnell, Senator Chambliss and Senator Isakson:



As the Senate moves forward with the health care reform debate, I am writing to request that you offer my identity and citizenship verification amendments I offered on the House health care bill, which will prohibit taxpayer dollars from being used to provide health care benefits to illegal aliens. As you know, the citizens of Georgia and the American people have spoken in firm opposition to allowing those who have illegally entered into our country from receiving taxpayer-funded social welfare benefits, and President Obama has acknowledged this demand by promising not to sign any bill which provides health care benefits to illegal aliens. Unfortunately, H.R. 3962, America s Affordable Health Choices Act, as recently passed by the House relies upon a verification procedure which is critically flawed.



Despite repeated claims that illegal aliens will not benefit under any health care reform bill, language passed by the House as contained in H.R. 3962 does not require sufficient proof of identity and U.S. citizenship status as a condition for being determined eligible for benefits provided under the legislation. As a result of changes made to verification requirements during reauthorization of the State Children s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) earlier this year and continued by the House-passed health care reform bill, individuals will only need to provide a Social Security Number and a corresponding name to satisfy eligibility requirements with no requirement that a valid photo ID be produced to verify that the identity of the person matches that of the name on the Social Security Card. In a letter to former Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Jim McCrery, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Mr. Michael J. Astrue, confirmed that the name/Social Security Number verification process alone would not prevent an illegal alien from being able to access taxpayer-funded benefits. This dramatic departure from verification requirements which I personally put into place under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 will only serve to exacerbate identity theft and fraud which we all acknowledge is already a significant problem in our nation and will force hardworking American families to pay for the health care of those who are here illegally.



During markup of H.R. 3200 in the Energy and Commerce Committee last July, I offered an amendment which would have put into place the same verification provisions for Medicaid eligibility as those previously prescribed by the DRA. Unfortunately, my amendment failed on party-lines by a vote of 28-29. Further, I offered the same amendment, as well as three additional amendments in the Rules Committee during consideration of H.R. 3962, which would require identity and citizenship verification for eligibility to receive premium subsidies to purchase coverage within the exchange , to participate in the high risk pool program, and one which would prohibit illegal aliens from entering into the health insurance exchange. Unfortunately, these amendments were also rejected by the Majority.



Again, as the Senate moves forward with anticipated consideration of health care reform legislation in the coming weeks, I respectfully request that you offer the Deal verification amendment language to ensure verification provisions, consistent with DRA requirements, is incorporated into the bill. I have attached the referenced amendment language for your review. This issue is of tremendous importance and your efforts to ensure appropriate verification provisions are in place will continue this effort to protect taxpayers from fraud and abuse in public health programs. Rest assured, I will continue my efforts should legislation be brought to Conference for bicameral consideration.





Respectfully,







Nathan Deal