Mr. President. I regret that I could not join last nights debate on amendments to the comprehensive immigration reform bill. Had I been present. I would have supported the amendment offered by Senators DORGAN and BOXER. which was designed to eliminate the bills guest worker provision. Though it was not adopted. I salute its principles and hope that they will find their way. once again. into our national debate on immigration. The immigration bill was set to allow 400.000 foreign guest workers into America each year. eligible for twoyear stays. alternating with a year in their home countries. In their eloquent remarks last evening. Senators DORGAN and BOXER rightly identified this provisions shortcomings. First. as Senator BOXER observed. "We are setting up a system of exploitation." I am concerned that the immigration bill offers insufficient protection to guest workers. leaving them open to victimization by low wages. long hours. and dangerous conditions. It threatens to import into America a permanent underclass. rootless in our communities and ignorant of our language. valued for nothing more than its muscle power. A labor system like that is suited to an empire. not to a republic of opportunity and not to the principles of immigration we have long honored in America. No one denies that much of America s economy depends on immigrant labor. But if we want to do more than exploit that laborif we want to sew it into our social contract. if we want to treat immigrants with justice and dignitya path to citizenship is a necessity. That brings me to the guest worker provisions second shortcoming: It lacks such a path. If we are willing to offer the opportunity of citizenship even to those who entered our country illegally. it is inconsistent to deny it to those who come with our sanction.
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