WASHINGTON (Arizona Republic) September 12, 2004 - The U.S. House on Thursday defeated 178-225 an amendment to a spending bill for health, education and jobs programs that would have blocked payments of Social Security benefits to millions of documented and possibly eligible undocumented Mexican immigrants who work in the United States.

"If only fully legal workers were to collect benefits under the Mexico totalization plan, I would not oppose it. But I doubt that would be the case," said the amendment's sponsor, Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz. He added, "Opening the flood gates to millions of illegal workers can only hasten the coming funding crisis facing Social Security."

But Hayworth's amendment was defeated as opponents pointed out that similar agreements are in place with 20 other countries, mostly in Europe.

Voting in favor of Hayworth's amendment were Arizona's other five GOP House members, Reps. Rick Renzi, Trent Franks, John Shadegg, Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe. The state's two Democratic House members, Reps. Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva, opposed it.

Under the "totalization" agreement signed June 29, Mexican workers who have divided their working lives between the United States and Mexico would be eligible for partial U.S. or Mexican retirement benefits based on combined credits from both countries.

To qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits, Mexicans must prove they have worked in the United States for at least 18 months. Social Security Administration officials have estimated that as many as 50,000 U.S. and Mexican workers may be eligible for such retirement benefits in the first five years of the agreement.

But Hayworth and others say the SSA may have underestimated by millions the number of new Mexican beneficiaries. The SSA predicts that the first-year cost of the agreement with Mexico would be $78 million and would grow to $650 million by 2050.

However, the General Accountability Office has said such estimates do "not directly consider the estimated millions of current and former unauthorized workers and family members from Mexico" who are who are residing in the United States and may be eligible, making the cost of the agreement "highly uncertain."

Hayworth insists "this is not an immigration issue. This is a Social Security solvency issue." The GAO has found that if a mere 25 percent above that 50,000 estimate (or about 63,000) actually take benefits, the result will be a financially significant drain on the (Social Security) Trust Fund, he said.