John Conyers: “Labor unions and human rights groups have long called attention to these abuses. And both the Clinton and Bush…”

“Labor unions and human rights groups have long called attention to these abuses. And both the Clinton and Bush administration Justice Departments have brought prosecutions under the 13th amendment. I do also want to commend this administration for the excellent work they have done in this regard. The decision in the 1976 Covenant establishing the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to leave decisions on minimum wages, immigration standards, and taxes to the Islands has had tragic consequences. Wide-open guestworker programs, and utter lack of basic labor protections, turned the Northern Marianas into a haven for sweatshops. But modern slavery didn't just occur by day, in the garment factories.”