Speech #1100054089

Obviously. that is an assumption. It is assumed. as part of the underlying bill. that we do have the ability to do that. So if the program is designed in a manner that is bad for employers. it is bad for employees. it is difficult and costly to implement. it will lead to an increase in the number of individuals who overstay their visas. then obviously the question arises: What is the justification for keeping this provision in the bill? I think. unfortunately. the only justification I have been ab~le to find is that it is being kept in the bill in order to fit this political mantra that we have been hearing now for months about "temporary means temporary." rather than to implement any sound policy. When you look at these guest worker programs. unlike the other existing guest worker programs. such as the H2B seasonal program for nonagricultural workers. the H2A agricultural program. which were designed to fill jobs that. in fact. are of a temporary nature. the new Y1 program. which we are talking about here. is designed to fill jobs throughout the economy that are permanent jobs. These are jobs in the construction industry. primarily. The 212 requirement. which is in the underlying bill. artificially tries to turn these workers into temporary workers by kicking them out of the country every 2 years. even though they will be filling jobs that are not temporary. they are permanent jobs. Last years immigration bill. S. 2611. allowed new guest workers to stay in the United States for a period of 3 years to renew that visa for a total of 6 years. There was no requirement that the individuals leave the country before they renewed that visa. I think that type of framework is much more sensible. One of the primary goals of comprehensive immigration reform is to create a new and workable system that would ensure that we are not in the situation we are in now once again 20 years from now. I do not believe the current framework of this socalled temporary worker program advances that goal. Let me also take a moment to address concerns that the adoption of this amendment will somehow kill the immigration bill. During debate on the immigration bill. questions keep arising about whether a particular amendment being offered by one Senator or another is consistent with the socalled "grand bargain" that has been reached. I commend the Senators who worked tirelessly to come up with an agreement on this difficult issue. This agreement was reached between a handful of Senators.