George Miller: “I think that it is accurate to say that most Members of Congress, like most Americans, are unaware of the tens of…”

“I think that it is accurate to say that most Members of Congress, like most Americans, are unaware of the tens of thousands of workers who toil on American soil in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands who are routinely subjected to gross violations of their human rights and other rights, while being provided few of the legal protections afforded the rest of us. This widespread and intolerable abuse have been credibly documented by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Justice Department, the Commerce Department, State, Labor; and news organizations, including the television program Inside Edition, Reader's Digest, the Honolulu Star Bulletin, the Pacific Daily News, the Dallas Morning News, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times; the report of the Committee on Resources Democratic staff, foreign consulates, church and human rights workers, and many others. It is regrettable that until today, this Congress is one of the few places where we have been unable to gain even minimal discussion of these abuses. Inside Edition captured the horrific conditions in the Marianas on film and for this Nation to view. Now we in Congress must respond to the outrages that they have documented.”