Speech #920034620

I must say it is very clear to us in Puerto Rico that those who have chosen to migrate to the mainland in search of economic opportunities have generally come illequipped in skills and language. and we are addressing ourselves in Puerto Rico to the task of improving the quality of our public school education. and particularly the quality of the English language program. which has been quite low. We are also intensifying vocational education. and availing ourselves as fully as possible of existing manpower programs. It is not accurate. however. to credit the Government of Puerto Rico with the development of a program for sending migrant farmworkers to the mainland. As a matter of fact. Puerto Rican workers commenced to be recruited by farmers organizations on the mainland. and as the practice grew the Government of Puerto Rico decided to step in and regulate it by protective legislation. requiring employment contracts to be approved by the Puerto Rico Labor Department. and to establish offices on the mainland to protect migrant workers. As a result. most of the migrant workers recruited from the mainland are now protected by Governmentapproved contracts. although a minority still come on their own. But the important point is that migrant farm labor is not a program developed by the Government of Puerto Rico. but by mainland farmers. It is simply regulated by Puerto Rico. to such an extent that every spring I receive inquiries from Members who represent farming communities. and some of whose constituents protest that they are unable to obtain the labor they urgently need because of the interference of Government officials in Puerto Rico who. in one way or another. discourage wouldbe migrants. Nevertheless. migration from Puerto Rico is a fact. both in the case of temporary farm labor and in that of the number of people who leave the island on a permanent basis in search of economic opportunity. We welcome all the help we can get from the Federal Government toward the end of providing jobs in Puerto Rico. and of providing those who cannot find jobs there and find it necessary to seek opportunity on the mainland. with the education and skills necessary for them to find and realize on available opportunities.