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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. John Galloway |
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Galloway’s E-Verify signed into law
HARRISBURG, July 9 – State Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, announced that his E-Verify plan has been signed into law by the governor.
The new law, which was signed as Act 127 recently, will make it much more difficult for undocumented workers to take jobs on public construction projects. As of January 1, all contractors and subcontractors on every public works project, including any state, county, municipal or school project, will be required to verify employability through the federal government’s online E-Verify system.
"This is about jobs," Galloway said. "Good jobs for local workers in their own communities. E-Verify will prevent Illegal workers from taking construction jobs which can lower salaries and benefits for all workers.
"We are not targeting illegal workers, we are targeting the contractors who use and abuse them for profit," Galloway added.
"How can we expect citizens to play by the rules, when as a government, we don’t require it of ourselves?" Galloway said. "This has taken six years to accomplish, but the need was too great to give up. Good jobs, fair wages, quality construction and honest competition in the bidding process are all too important, especially with our tax dollars paying for these projects."
Galloway said that E-Verify is a fast, free, highly accurate online system operated by the Department of Homeland Security which employers can quickly determine if potential employees are eligible to work in the United States. The E-Verify system can quickly determine an employee’s legal status by comparing Social Security numbers, Homeland Security records and an employee’s I-9 Employment Eligibility verification form.
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