Barbara Mikulski: “The Senator is right. We have to fight for our market share because the competition is abroad and, quite frankly, they…”

“The Senator is right. We have to fight for our market share because the competition is abroad and, quite frankly, they don't meet the quality standard. This program is not only for the crabs, but just think, for the people who are actually picking the crabs, they are putting people to work--the canning company, marketing, sales, the trucking industry, watermen, the people who run the marinas. This covers so many jobs on the Eastern Shore. This handful of seasonal workers helps leverage hundreds and hundreds of jobs on our shore. We could talk to Senator Stevens of Alaska. They have a business that harvests salmon roe, and their principal market is to the Japanese. The Japanese have to come in to inspect that roe to see if it can be exported. Nineteen Japanese come in every year under this program and then return home, primarily as inspectors. Because those 19 come, Alaska has a booming industry in exporting salmon roe. That is how this program works. Just a handful of guest workers leverages all this. Mr. President, I support Amendment No. 3217, the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2006, which would ensure that certain employers would continue to legally obtain the seasonal workers they desperately need. I am pleased to work with Senator Mikulski as a cosponsor on the amendment, and I am joined by Senator Allen.…”