Speech #1040097080

Before the 1980s. this work had alw&/s been reserved for American longshoremen. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the International Longshoremens and Warehousemens Union position that this practice violated several Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] regulations. Still. this practice goes unchecked by our State Department despite the Intent of Congress to rectify this situation. Mr. Speaker. we dont need another legislative answer to this problem. Congress has already addressed this Issue by passing blpartisan amendments to the Immigration and Naturalization Act which affirmed the rights of American waterfront workers. What we need today Is action by the Secretary of State In reviewing the list of countries who grant reciprocity to American longshoremen and publish a new list which Is fair to the American worker. I ask all my colleagues who value the sanctity and preservation of American Jobs to urge the Secretary of State to review the reciprocity list and preserve the Intent of Congress to keep American jobs from needlessly being lost to foreign crew members.