Further. the act itself provides for very specific exemptions. The Departments actions appear to be based solely on its own extremely narrow interpretations. For example. the Department defines the term "migrant worker" to mean anyone employed in agriculture. Let me quote from the Field Operations Handbook of the Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division: Any employee who is performing agricultural work is a migrant worker for purposes of the FLCRA. There is no distinction between the worker who moves about the country within the stream of production and the worker who remains at his home and works in his own area year round. The fact that there is no distinction between the worker who moves about and the worker who remains at home is even underlined in the Departments handbook. Mr. Speaker. clearly the Department of Labors interpretation is ridiculous. Not everyone employed in agriculture is a migrant worker. By this definition. even members of an individual farmers family. if employed on the farm. could be considered migrant workers for purposes of FLCRA. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of the agricultural work force lives on the farm or in surrounding communities. According to USDA statistics. migrant farmworkers represent less than 5 percent of the total agricultural work force. While migrant farmworkers represent a small percentage of the work force. they do not deserve any less protection. That is why we enacted the Farm Labor Contractor Registration Act. Its protective provisions aimed at curbing abuses by certain independent crew leaders should be maintained.