Political Quotes

“I rise today to applaud the passage of H.R. 221, legislation which will permit a unique culture to continue practicing traditions vital to its way of life. This bill changes current law so that Amish teenagers may continue work in businesses where machinery is used to process wood products. Child labor provisions in the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) prevent Amish young people from learning the practical skills they need to successfully contribute to their community. The U.S. Department of Labor has followed a rigorous enforcement policy in the arena of child labor. The Department of Labor has levied fines of up to $20,000 on several Amish businesses. These actions are not just intrusive, they are insulting to a proud culture which has long prospered within the boundaries of our laws. While enforcement of child labor laws is laudable and necessary, it is detrimental to the Amish people. In their culture, Amish youth finish organized schooling at the age of 14, when they go to work with their parents or other adults in their community to learn a trade. Due to the nature of their lifestyle, these occupations are primarily in agriculture and woodworking, work which requires long periods of apprenticeship to learn the proper and safe use of the required machinery. H.R. 221 recognizes this fact by providing specific requirements for the sake of safety-requirements that the Amish have implemented long before the Fair Labor Standards Act came into effect.”