On the recordJune 23, 2022
Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I rise today to call on the Senate to stand with our Nation's farmworkers and pass H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, immediately. Yesterday, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus brought together over 20 key national and regional organizations that advocate for farmworkers who, despite carrying the burden of injuries and illnesses during the pandemic, kept our country fed. We discussed injustices that our campesinos face when it comes to healthcare, education, housing, workers' rights, and immigration. Together, we are working together to craft meaningful solutions to these challenges that will help our Nation's farmworker communities thrive. An immediate solution is for the Senate to pass the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act that the House has passed. We need 10 Republican Senators to agree and pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act out of the Senate to make this much-needed legislation into law. Right now, from vineyards in California to fields in the Midwest and ranches in the South, growers are concerned about an unstable workforce and a labor shortage. Many farmworkers toil in the fields with uncertainty and fear of being deported and separated from their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened these concerns. Unfortunately, this uncertainty and these labor disruptions are contributing to the destabilization of our farms and to higher food prices across America.…





