Speech #530131704

The growers are present in the bill. but the growers do not get their own way totally. Agricultural labor is involved in this bill. but they do not get their way completely. With respect to the transition program which the gentleman from California talked about. which the gentleman from Illinois amendment would strike. we said in this interim period when we are moving from a program in which undocumented labor is readily available to the new program in which you will have to be documented or U.S. citizens. there must be an easy phasein program. We said. well. a transition program is needed. So we have a program in our bill which provides in the first year you are able to use 100 percent of the undocumented that you have had in the last full year before the program is effective. then 66 percent. then 33 percent and that is it. This is maybe faulty and has flaws in it. but it is an effort to move the great agricultural community of this Nation. to which we owe great debts. one time of history to another position in another time of history. And that is where we are.