Mr. Speaker. the migrant farm laborer is the least adequately protected of all American workers. As the New York Times pointed out on May 25: No American worker enjoys fewer statutory safeguards than the migratory farm laborer. he is outside virtually all the laws that guarantee any element of decency in wages or working conditions. And yet. the recent action by the Attorney General in extending the work permits of 500 West Indians harvesting celery in Floridaan action which directly undermines the carefully considered position of the Secretary of Labor--serves only to further depress the American migrants already meager market. The New York Times article goes on to make a point that I have stressed several times in this Chamber. and which has been borne out in those instances where it has been practiced: Whenever the growers bring farm wages up to some level of parity with the wages prevailing elsewhere in the American economy. there will be no lack of domestic labor to harvest the countrys fruits and vegetables. Mr.
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