Mr. Chairman. this Nation has a responsibility in time of affluence to become more aware and more responsive to the crying need of the agricultural worker who must leave his home in search of a job so his family can exist. I know because I represent the heart of the migrant country in this whole Nation. I know what I am talking about and I strongly urge that the appropriations bill we are presently discussing Increase the migrant health act to at least the authorized level of $30 million dollars. While Texas has more migrant projects than any State in the Nationand in my particular district there have been many approved throughout Cameron. Hidalgo. and Willacy Countiesnevertheless we face a problem that certainly is not insurmountable but one which requires particular attention. It is difficult for us to think about a man who piles his family into a raggedy old truckwho gets into a vehicle that barely qualifies under State lawto remove his family from home and custom far into the North to pick sugar beets in Michigan or out West to pick grapes in California. It is difficult for these people to be aware generally of what advantages are afforded him when he is away from homethereby making it doubly important that such advantages be afforded him while he is at home. Statistics about the migrant are known to all but let me point out here that one portion of my district. the Lower Rio Grande Valley. by current guidelines for poverty has a total of 33 percent of population as family units earning less than $3.000 a year. It is hard for these people to make ends meet. It is hard for them to pay the doctor. It is hard for the doctor to meet his overhead and take care of them. Let me here. however. point out how very adequately and magnificently the doctors of the area have responded to the needs of the migrant. The doctors in Cameron County have made every effort to insure quality medical care to the total community and they have worked with charitable organizations who have received funding from the Federal Government to assist in this effort. The same is true in other areas of the districtand I say this because I do not want anyone to think that we are letting the Federal Government take care of our problems.
Identified stereotypes
Describes migrant workers as piling their families into raggedy old trucks and being generally unaware of advantages afforded to them.