Mr. President. I would just like to point out that in February of 1973 the Farmers Home Administration released a study which indicated it had identified 400 counties that urgently needed a total of 130.000 units to house migrant workers and also other farmworkers who were working on a seasonal basis in the fields. Their survey revealed that about 65 percent of the migrant workers in these counties needed new or improved housing. Just recently in Orange County of my State it came to my attention that the grand jury found a camp located there. which camp was being provided by a leaseholder of the U.S. Government for agricultural purposes. and. although this particular camp was not registered. about 60 farm laborers were permitted by the leaseholder to live on the premises in three structures: One was a dilapidated shed. one was an ancient bus. and one was an abandoned shed. and all three were unfit for human habitation. There were gross violations of sanitary and safety regulations. gross violations of the electrical code. Wiring in the shed. for instance. was a fire hazard. The only thing I am trying to say is that there probably is no group of Americans. with perhaps the exception of the American Indians. who have worse living conditions than migrant workers. and that all a person has to do is to go to one of these migrant worker camps anywhere in the country. in the South. the Southwest. Northwest. Northeastthose are places I have seen some of those migrant camps. I cannot speak for the Midwestbut the places that I have seen indicate that the citizens. the workers who are living there. are living in abominable conditions. I can only point out that it costs around $6.500 to keep a person housed in a Federal penitentiary.
Identified stereotypes
Generalization about the poor living conditions of migrant workers.