Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4257 addresses a unique problem resulting from the application of the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Children in the Amish community complete their formal classroom education at age 14 or 15. In fact, the Amish faith teaches that their children's formal classroom education should end after the 8th grade, after which they learn by doing, through work under the supervision of their parents or another community member. For many years, most Amish youth worked in agriculture on their family farm. However, as every other farmer is suffering and struggling today, most Amish youth no longer have that opportunity. For a variety of reasons, the Amish have, in recent years, been forced to rely more and more on other occupations. Many have gone into operating sawmills and other types of woodworking. The problem is that the Department of Labor's Regulations prohibit 14- and 15-year-olds from working in any sawmill or woodworking shop and severely limit the work of 16- or 17-year-olds in these workplaces.”