On the recordDecember 11, 2019
I am here to speak in support of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, an event that should be a cause of joy for Members on both sides of the aisle and for America. We have tried and failed for dozens of years to deal with the issue of the farm workforce. We have never been able to get a majority vote on the floor of this House. So this year, we tried a different approach. Starting last March, we had stakeholders, the United Farm Workers Union, the growers and the farmers sit down together, listen to each other, understand each other and what their needs were. They were joined by a bipartisan group of members who cared about this issue, and we came up with this bill, a compromise that does this: It secures the status of the million or so farm workers who don't have their proper documentation by allowing them to get a certified agriculture worker visa that is renewable, and ultimately, if they wish, after a significant period of time, to apply for legal permanent residence. It streamlines the H-2A program, so it works better for employers and actually works better for workers. We stabilized the wages. We allowed the dairy industry to get access to the H-2A program. We increased the availability of farmworker housing while lowering the cost to employers. And, finally, once this whole thing is implemented, we have always believed that if you have a workable immigration system, you ought to enforce it.…
