Political Quotes

“I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I am proud to stand here with my colleagues to support the Farm Workforce Modernization Act on behalf of farmers and farmworkers in Colorado. Colorado farms are doing all they can to move forward, despite the administration's trade war, which has led to a 15 percent reduction in Colorado agricultural exports in 2019. It has also stifled the migrant seasonal farmworker program when farmers need it the most. Throughout this year, I have met with farmers in my district, including Robert Sakata of Sakata Farms in Brighton, Colorado, which was started in 1945 by his father. To Robert and other Western growers, modernizing the guest worker program is crucial to their success as a family farm and their contribution to our local economy. This important piece of bipartisan legislation will do just that. The bill will establish a program for Colorado farmworkers to earn legal status, improve the H-2A program by ensuring critical protections for workers, and establish a mandatory nationwide E-Verify system for all farmworkers. I thank my colleague Representative Lofgren and all those who have worked across the aisle to get this very important bill done.”