Speech #530131887

When the Bracero Program was brought to a close. did that stop the use of foreign workers? Absolutely not. We went into the massive illegal immigration problem that continues to supply the workers in the fields. Today 50 to 80 percent of many of the crews are illegal. That is a reality that we have to deal with. Thus. if this bill works. and it terminates or substantially reduces the number of undocumented workers who enter this country. then those who are involved in the perishable crop industry face a choice: Hire domestic workers if they are available. if they are qualified. if they are there. If not. perhaps hire illegals. undocumented workers. or lose the crop. Those are the choices that are going to face farmers in this area. The point. it seems to me. is to construct a bill that will not force that kind of choice between hiring illegals or losing your crop. That is not what we should be about in developing this legislation. The choice ought to be this: Hire domestic workers or hire legalized foreign workers in a program that provides safeguards. that provides protections. that provides the kind of security that is not available to the undocumented workers who now work in the field. That. frankly. is the purpose of the amendment that is now before the House. I believe tht the authors of the bill recognize the need to have this safety valve. this foreign worker program. and indeed. by statute they build it in with regards to the H2 Program.