Speech #990081471

In the 97th Congress in 1982. I worked with Senators SIMPSON and KENNEDY. along with the Departments of Justice. Agriculture. and Labor. to fashion changes in the existing H2 visa program to make it workable for western growers and ranchers. I believe we succeeded in those efforts to streamline and remodel the temporary foreign worker program so that it can be used by those with a steady. reliable. and longterm need for those workers. In 1983. I was successful in amending the immigration bill to include a transition program for agriculture. This program acknowledged the trauma to agriculture that would result from the sudden denial of illegal alien workers to an industry which had become dependent on them. This program would allow agricultural employers to phase out their use of illegal workers over a period of 3 years. I am grateful that Senator SIMPSON has seen fit to include both of these programs. important to me. in his 1985 immigration bill. which was reported from the Senate Judiciary Committee. And I regret that I will have to oppose Senator SIMPSON on this agricultural worker amendment. He is indeed very conscientious in his efforts to listen to all Members and attempt to accommodate them. Although we have not reached an accommodation on this one. we have on many. many other areas vital to me and my constituents. and I thank him for that. However. I believe that there is one segment of the agricultural economy whose needs have not been met by either the N visa or the transition program. That segment is the perishable crop industry. The perishable crop industry differs from the rest of the agricultural industry in two important ways. These two differences make it impossible for employers in this segment to use the N Visa Program. First. it is impossible for growers of perishable crops to perdict more than a few days in advance when their need for workers will occur. Second. their need for workers is short and it is very intense.