I thank the Speaker and the leaders. the floor managers on this provision. I want to thank first of all the ranking member. LAMAR SMITH. the Chair of the Immigration Subcommittee on the Judiciary Committee. ZOE LOFGREN. and in particular. my friend. Chairman NICK RAHALL of the Natural Resources Committee because we have all worked together in making important refinements to the bill. There was a great deal of cooperation. As it is now clear. what we are dealing with now is the fact that the minimum wage question. the immigration standards. and the taxes to the islands are of great consequence. I commend all of my colleagues here this afternoon for the tremendous work that has occurred. Labor unions and human rights groups have long called attention to these abuses. And both the Clinton and Bush administration Justice Departments have brought prosecutions under the 13th amendment. I do also want to commend this administration for the excellent work they have done in this regard. The decision in the 1976 Covenant establishing the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to leave decisions on minimum wages. immigration standards. and taxes to the Islands has had tragic consequences. Wideopen guestworker programs. and utter lack of basic labor protections. turned the Northern Marianas into a haven for sweatshops. But modern slavery didnt just occur by day. in the garment factories.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration