Summary

HOUSE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING Immigration and Agriculture Subcommittee hearing with Arturo Rodriguez, United Farm Workers, Steven Colbert and others 09:38:33 THIS HEARING OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION, 09:38:37 CITIZENSHIP, REFUGEES, BORDER SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW 09:38:40 WILL COME TO ORDER WE REVISE THERE IS GREAT PLIGHT 09:38:48 OF MIGRANT FARM WORKERS IN AMERICA 09:38:50 WE ASK THE PRESS ACTUALLY PULL BACK FROM THE TABLE SO THAT WE 09:38:56 CAN OBSERVE ALL FOUR OF OUR WITNESSES 09:39:00 AND IF THE PRESS CANNOT DO SO, THEY'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE 09:39:07 ROOM I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR 09:39:10 WITNESSES MEMBERS OF THE IMMIGRATION 09:39:13 SUBCOMMITTEE AND OTHERS WHO JOINED US TODAY TO THE 09:39:16 SUBCOMMITTEE'S HEARING ON PROTECTING AMERICA'S HARVEST 09:39:19 THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS LONG SUFFERED FROM A LACK OF 09:39:24 AVAILABLE US WORKERS TO GROW AND PICK AMERICA'S FRUITS AND 09:39:30 V VEGETABLES 09:39:31 EVEN IN TODAY'S TOP ECONOMIC CLIMATE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR 09:39:34 NOT, INSUFFICIENT AND CONTINUAL NUMBER OF US WORKERS ARE 09:39:40 WILLING TO FILL MANUAL AGRICULTURE JOBS 09:39:42 AMERICA'S FARMS ARE DEPENDENT ON A RELIABLE WORKFORCE TO PRODUCE 09:39:45 OUR DOMESTIC FOOD SUPPLY AND TODAY'S FARMS ARE STRUGGLING TO 09:39:51 STAY IN BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF CURRENT LABOR CHALLENGES 09:39:54 TODAY'S HEARING, THE LABOR NEEDS OF OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, 09:40:00 ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT WORKERS FOR AGRICULTURAL LABOR, VISA PROGRAM 09:40:05 FOR AGRICULTURAL WORKERS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS 09:40:08 ONE EXPLANATION FOR WHY AMERICAN WORKERS MAY BE UNWILLING TO 09:40:13 ENGAGE IN MANUAL FARM WORKER WHEN THEY WERE WILLING TO SO 09:40:17 YEARS AGO MAY LIE IN OUR AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM 09:40:20 IN THE 1940s AND '50s THE NATIVE-BORN WORKFORCE DIDN'T 09:40:26 HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA LAST YEAR THAT NUMBER WAS 57% 09:40:29 IN ANY EVENT, THE DIFFICULT TO OF RECRUITING NATIVE-BORN 09:40:33 WORKERS TO WORK ON FARMS HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BY THE UNITED 09:40:36 FORM WORKERS TAKE OUR JOBS PLEASE CAMPAIGN 09:40:38 THE CAMPAIGN INVITES UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS TO USE THE UFW'S 09:40:45 ASSISTANCE TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT AS FARM WORKERS 09:40:49 YET, ACCORDING TO UFW, EVEN IN THE PERIOD OF HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT 09:40:52 ACROSS ALL EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC SECTORS OF OUR 09:40:57 SOCIETY, ONLY SEVEN US WORKERS HAVE AGREED TO ACTUALLY WORK IN 09:41:01 THE FIELDS AS OF TODAY I HAVE BEEN A LONGTIME ADVOCATE 09:41:04 FOR FARM WORKERS AND GROWERS WHEN I WAS ON THE SANTA CLARA 09:41:09 COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE 1980s I WORKED CLOSELY WITH 09:41:13 THE UNITED FARM WORKERS AND FARM BUREAU 09:41:16 I SPENT TIME AT MANY FARMS RECENTLY I SPENT THE DAY PICKING 09:41:22 STRAWBERRIES AT A FARM NEAR MY DISTRICT 09:41:25 UFW INVITED ME TO SPEND A DAY PICKING VEGETABLES AT A FARM IN 09:41:29 NEW YORK WITH STEPHEN COLBERT I WANT TO THANK ARTURO RODRIGUEZ 09:41:35 FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND I WOULD 09:41:37 LIKE TO ADMONISH THE AUDIENCE BEFORE I CONTINUE MY STATEMENT, 09:41:42 THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN ORDER AND DECORUM THROUGHOUT THESE 09:41:46 PROCEEDINGS AND TO THAT END, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND ALL OF THE 09:41:49 VISITORS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT THEY SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ANY 09:41:53 MANIFESTATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THESE PROCEEDINGS 09:41:57 OR ANY OTHER DISRUPTIVE ACTIONS IF NECESSARY, THE CAPITOL POLICE 09:42:02 ARE HERE TO REMOVE ANYONE WHO DISRUPTS THE HEARING 09:42:06 WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY 09:42:08 PART OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS IS WITHOUT A 09:42:11 SUFFICIENT US LABOR FORCE US FARMERS HAVE INCREASINGLY RELIED 09:42:15 ON UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 09:42:18 LABOR, OVER 50% OF ALL SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS ARE 09:42:24 UNDOCUMENTED EXPERTS BELIEVE DUE TO 09:42:27 UNDERREPORTING THAT NUMBER MAY ACTUALLY BE CLOSER TO 75% 09:42:30 CRITICS ARGUE THAT THE SHORTAGE OF US AGRICULTURAL WORKERS 09:42:33 COULD BE SOLVED BY SIMPLY INCREASING WAGES AND WORKING 09:42:37 CONDITIONS AS A LONGTIME AND ARDENT 09:42:40 SUPPORTER OF FARM WORKERS I WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER 09:42:43 WE MUST ALSO FACE THE REALITY THE NATION'S GROWERS COMPETE 09:42:46 WITH FARMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD IN THIS INCREASINGLY 09:42:49 GLOBALIZED WORLD INCREASING WAGES AND BENEFITS IN 09:42:53 AN AMOUNT NECESSARY TO ATTRACT BILLIONS OF EDUCATED US 09:42:58 WORKERS TO THE FIELDS WOULD MEAN INCREASED PRODUCTION COST THAT 09:43:02 COULD RENDER US FOOD PRODUCTS UNCOMPETITIVE WITH IMPORTED 09:43:06 PRODUCTS AMERICAN FARMS WOULD THEN CLOSE 09:43:08 IN TURN RESULTING IN THE MASS OFFSHORING OF TENS OF MILLIONS 09:43:12 OF AGRICULTURE AND RELATED JOBS INDEED, THIS IS ALREADY 09:43:17 HAPPENING BETWEEN 2007 AND 2008, 156 09:43:22 MILLION ACRES OF US FARMLAND WERE SHUT DOWN 09:43:27 MANY OF THESE FARMS MOVED TO MEXICO 09:43:31 WHEN FARMS CLOSE OUR COUNTRY SUFFERS 09:43:33 NOT ONLY DO WE LOSE THE JOBS FILLED BY THOSE WHO WORK IN THE 09:43:38 FIELDS BUT LOSE THE MILLIONS OF UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM JOBS 09:43:41 CONNECTED TO THOSE JOBS WHETHER IT'S PROCESSING, PACKAGING, 09:43:44 TRANSPORTATION, SEED TRUX, MANUFACTURING, ACCOUNTING, 09:43:47 ADVERTISING THESE JOBS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY 09:43:49 FILLED BY US WORKERS YET THESE JOBS DISAPPEAR, TOO, 09:43:53 WHEN FARMS ARE CLOSED ECONOMISTS BELIEVE THAT FOR 09:43:56 EVERY FARM JOB LOST, THE US LOSES ANOTHER 31 COMPLEMENTARY 09:44:05 JOBS ASIDE FROM THE LOSS OF 09:44:11 MILLIONS -- THE TRUTH IS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY DEPENDS ON OUR 09:44:12 ABILITY TO PRODUCE A STABLE DOMESTIC FOOD SUPPLY 09:44:15 LIKE OIL, THE MORE WE RELY ON OTHER COUNTRIES FOR OUR FOOD 09:44:21 SUPPLY, THE MORE WE FALL VICTIM TO AN INCREASED TRADE DEBT, 09:44:25 SCARCITY IN TIMES OF DROUGHT, FLUCTUATING EXTERNAL MARKET 09:44:29 PRICES AND POLITICAL PRESSURE WE WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE 09:44:32 POSSIBILITY OF FOOD-BORN ILLNESSES AND TERRORIST ATTACKS 09:44:34 THROUGH OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY 09:44:35 THE PLAIN TRUTH IS FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY 09:44:39 AMERICA CANNOT AFFORD TO STOP PRODUCING ITS OWN FOOD SUPPLY 09:44:42 ANDBY NEED THE LABOR FORCE TO DO SO 09:44:45 TODAY WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR PANEL OF WITNESSES TO BETTER 09:44:49 UNDERSTAND THIS COMPLEX AND VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR AMERICANS 09:44:52 AMERICAN JOBS, OUR ECONOMY, AND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY 09:44:56 PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT HAVE A SPECIAL ABILITY TO FOCUS 09:45:00 PUBLIC OPINION ON AN ISSUE WHETHER IT'S BONO TALKING ABOUT 09:45:05 THIRD WORLD POVERTY OR ANGELINA JOLIE ADVOCATING FOR PROTECTING 09:45:09 CHILDREN AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING, THE POWER OF MEDIA 09:45:13 FIGURES TO USE THEIR CELEBRITY TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON A CENTRAL 09:45:17 PUBLIC ISSUES IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL REGARDED 09:45:20 I'M HAPPY THAT STEPHEN COLBERT OF THE COLBERT REPORT HAS 09:45:25 JOINED THAT GROUP OF CELEBRITIES WHO WILL USE THEIR MEDIA 09:45:28 POSITION TO BENEFIT OTHERS AS YOU CAN SEE FROM MR 09:45:32 COLBERT'S WRITTEN TESTIMONY, HE'S TAKEN THE TIME TO WALK IN 09:45:35 THE SHOES OF MIGRANT FARM WORKERS AND URGES REFORM OF OUR 09:45:40 IMMIGRATION LAWS HAPPY THE UNITED FARM WORKERS 09:45:44 HELPED INTRODUCE ME TO MR COLBERT WHO I HAD NOT MET BEFORE 09:45:48 SO WE COULD SPEND A DAY ON THE FARM TOGETHER 09:45:50 HIS ACTIONS ARE GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW USING LEVITY AND FAME HE CAN 09:45:57 BRING ATTENTION TO THE GOOD OF THE NATION 09:46:00 I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR WITNESS'ESTS TO BE WITH US TODAY 09:46:05 AND THEIR LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA 09:46:06 I HOPE TOGETHER WE CAN FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE PRESSING 09:46:09 PROBLEMS I WOULD RECOGNIZE OUR 09:46:11 DISTINGUISHED RANKING MEMBER STEVE KING FOR HIS OPENING 09:46:15 STATEMENT THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR 09:46:17 I APPRECIATE BEING RECOGNIZED A THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MIND, 09:46:21 I'M WONDERING HOW THE ESKIMOS GOT ALONG WITHOUT FRESH FRUITS 09:46:27 AND VEGETABLES IF IT'S A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE 09:46:29 BEFORE WE START THE TESTIMONY FROM THE PANEL, I'D LIKE TO 09:46:32 FOCUS MY REMARKS ON PROTECTING AMERICAN WORKERS 09:46:35 ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF OUR IMMIGRATION 09:46:39 LAWS IN TODAY'S JOBS, DEPRESSION, HAVE FORMED A 09:46:42 PERFECT STORM FOR HURTING AMERICANS 09:46:44 THE MOST IMPORTANT DUTY OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS WE ENSURE OUR 09:46:46 NATION'S IMMIGRATION POLICY LIFTS UP AMERICANS AND NOT HOLDS 09:46:50 THEM DOWN I FIND IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY 09:46:52 SOME PEOPLE CARELESSLY CLAIM THAT AMERICANS WON'T DO HARD 09:46:56 WORK I FIND THIS CLAIM INSULTING AS I 09:46:58 AM SURE MOST HARDWORKING AMERICANS DO 09:47:01 IT'S MOST INSULTING TO THOSE BRAVE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO 09:47:04 VOLUNTARILY RISK THEIR LIVES TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOM AND WAY OF 09:47:07 LIFE EVERY DAY THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT TAKE ON 09:47:10 TERRORISTS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN 09:47:11 TREK FOR MILES ACROSS THE DESERT WITH 70 OR MORE POUNDS OF GEAR 09:47:15 IN 100-PLUS DEGREE TEMPERATURES FOR ABOUT $809 AN HOUR 09:47:20 THAT INCLUDES THE MARINES MAYBE WE SHOULD BE SPENDING LESS 09:47:25 TIME WATCHING COMEDY CENTRAL AND MORE TIME CONSIDERING THE 09:47:27 REAL JOBS OUT THERE, ONES THAT REQUIRE REAL HARD LABOR AND 09:47:32 DON'T INVOLVE SITTING BEHIND A DESK 09:47:33 WE WOULD REALIZE EVERY DAY AMERICAN WORKERS PERFORM THE 09:47:36 DIRTIEST, MOST DIFFICULT, MOST DANGEROUS JOBS THAT CAN BE 09:47:39 THROWN AT THEM FROM CRAB FISHERMEN TO VENTURE 09:47:41 INTO THE ROUGHEST AND MOST DANGEROUS WATERS IN THE WORLD TO 09:47:44 THE JOE THE PLUMBERS OF THE WORLD WHO MANY DAYS WOULD PREFER 09:47:49 THE AROMA OF FRESH DIRT TO THAT OF THE SEWAGE FROM AMERICAN 09:47:54 ELITISTS WHO DISPARAGE THEM EVEN AS THEY FLUSH 09:47:57 THESE ARE REAL AMERICANS DOING REAL JOBS, TASKS THAT SIMPLY 09:48:02 MUST GET DONE WHEN AMERICAN WORKERS ARE 09:48:05 TREATED WITH RESPECT AND PAID FOR THE LABOR THEY'LL DO ANY JOB 09:48:08 AND OUTWORK ANYONE ON EARTH AMERICA'S SPIRIT IS HARD WORKING 09:48:13 AND SO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COMPRISE THIS NATION 09:48:16 I REPRESENT A RURAL DISTRICT MADE UP OF FARMERS IN FARM 09:48:19 COMMUNITIES AND THE PEOPLE OF IOWA KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO 09:48:22 MANAGE AND EFFECTIVELY ONE A FARM 09:48:24 ONE ISSUE WITH ATTRACTING MORE AMERICAN WORKERS TO SEASONAL 09:48:28 AGRICULTURAL LABOR IS MOST MIGRANT FARMERS -- THE 09:48:38 DEVASTATING IMPACT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS ON AMERICAN FARM 09:48:41 WORKERS OF COURSE IT IS ARGUED BY TOM 09:48:44 VILSACK, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, THAT 09:48:46 FOOD PRICES WOULD BE THREE, FOUR OR FIVE TIMES MORE IF IT WERE 09:48:50 NOT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WORKERS 09:48:53 THIS IS BLATANTLY FALSE AND CAN'T BE SUPPORTED BY ANY DATA 09:48:58 DOESN'T EVEN BOTHER TO DEFEND HIMSELF 09:48:59 DATE TO FROM THE SECRETARY'S OWN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHOWS 09:49:03 LABOR COSTS ONLY REPRESENT 6% OF THE PRICE CONSUMERS PAY FOR 09:49:07 FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES DOUBLE THE PAY OF WORKERS AND 09:49:10 SEE ONLY A 6% INCREASE IN CONSUMER PRICES 09:49:14 HIGHLY RESPECTED AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST PHILLIP MARTIN OF THE 09:49:17 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA NOTES IF THERE WAS A 40% INCREASE IN 09:49:20 FARM WAGES THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WOULD ONLY SPEND $8 MORE A YEAR 09:49:25 ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, LESS THAN THE PRICE OF A MOVIE 09:49:30 TICKET MOST AMERICANS WOULD PAY $8 MORE 09:49:32 A YEAR IN ORDER TO ENSURE A LEGAL WORKFORCE 09:49:34 CHEAP LABOR IS NOT WORTH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION'S COST TO AMERICANS 09:49:37 AS WORKERS OR TAXPAYERS THE REALITY IS, EMPLOYERS HIRE 09:49:42 DESPERATE ALIENS WHO WILL WORK FOR MUCH LESS THAN AMERICANS, 09:49:45 DRIVING WAGES DOWN AND MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR AMERICAN WORKERS 09:49:49 TO COMPETE AS RANKING MEMBER SMITH HAS 09:49:51 POINTED OUT, MANY TIMES IN THE PAST THERE ARE 8 MILLION ILLEGAL 09:49:55 IMMIGRANTS IN THE WORKFORCE COMPETING AGAINST THE 154 09:50:00 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY COUNTED AS 09:50:04 UNEMPLOYED, WHICH INCLUDES THE 80 MILLION WHO ARE SIMPLY NOT IN 09:50:09 THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE THEY'VE DROPPED OUT AND ARE NO 09:50:11 LOOKING FOR JOBS AND THEY ARE OF WORKING AGE 09:50:13 AMERICANS HAVE GIVEN UP LOOKING FOR THOSE JOBS BECAUSE WAGES 09:50:17 HAVE BEEN DEPRESSED AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES ELIMINATED BY LOW 09:50:20 SKILLED AND VERY MOBILE IMMIGRATION 09:50:22 THE PERCENT OF TEENAGERS WHO WORK HAS NEVER BEEN LOWER 09:50:26 PROFESSOR CAROL SWAIN WILL TESTIFY TODAY ABOUT THE TOLL 09:50:29 MASS IMMIGRATION HAS TAKEN ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES 09:50:32 WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT ALL OF THIS STARTED LAPPING 09:50:35 WELL BEFORE THE RECESSION PROFESSOR GEORGE BORHAUS DID 09:50:41 GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF IMMIGRATION IN THE 09:50:44 1980s AND '90s ON LOW SKILLED AMERICAN WORKERS 09:50:48 PROFESSORS ANDREW SUM AND PAUL HARRINGTON AND OTHER RESEARCHERS 09:50:51 AT THE LABOR MARKET STUDIES AT NORTHEASTERN FOUND IN 2005 THAT 09:50:55 GIVEN AND I QUOTE GIVEN LARGE JOB LOSSES AMONG THE NATION'S 09:51:00 TEENS, 20 TO 24-YEAR-OLDS WITH NO FOUR-YEAR DEGREES AND NATIVE 09:51:05 BORN MEN IT IS CLEAR THAT NATIVE BORN WORKERS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED 09:51:09 IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE OF IMMIGRATION 09:51:12 IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT AMNESTY ADVOCATES SIMPLY IGNORE THE 80 09:51:17 MILLION LABOR POOL WE CAN EITHER FEED, CHOET AND 09:51:20 HOUSE THEM OR PUT THEM TO WORK TO FEED AND CLOTHE THE WORLD 09:51:24 THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS ONLY MAGNIFIES THE IMPACT ON AMERICAN 09:51:28 FAMILIES BUT UNLESS OUR POLICIES ARE CHANGED AMERICAN WORKERS AND 09:51:31 FAMILIES WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDERMINED EVEN AFTER THE 09:51:34 ECONOMY TURNS THE CORNER THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION FOUND 09:51:38 THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD HEADED BY AN IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLD 09:51:42 WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE RECEIVES OVER $19,000 IN TOTAL 09:51:46 GOVERNMENT BENEFITS MORE THAN THEY PAY IN TAXES FROM FEDERAL, 09:51:49 STATE AND LOCAL CHEAP LABOR? 09:51:52 AND I THINK ABOUT THE DAY THAT I HAD TO SWIM OUT INTO A SEWER 09:51:57 LAGOON AND DIVE INTO NINE FEET OF FLUID TO RETRIEVE A PUMP AND 09:52:01 WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE DAY THAT IT WAS 20 BELOW AND I'M IN THE 09:52:04 WATER FIXING A WATER LINE IN THE WARMEST PLACE THERE WAS IN THE 09:52:09 WATER, THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE IN MY LIFE IN THE CONSTRUCTION 09:52:12 BUSINESS AND WORK WE'VE PUT OUR WORKERS THROUGH IN THE PRIDE 09:52:15 WITH WHICH THEY TAKE, IT MEANS THAT IT'S AN INSULT TO ME TO 09:52:18 HEAR THAT AMERICANS WON'T DO THIS WORK 09:52:19 I CAN'T THINK OF A JOB THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO DO AND 09:52:22 I CAN'T THINK OF AN EMPLOYEE THAT I'VE HAD OVER THE 28 YEARS 09:52:25 IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS THAT REFUSED TO DO THE WORK THAT 09:52:28 WAS NECESSARY AMERICANS WILL DO THAT WORK BUT 09:52:30 THEY WANT TO BE PAID A RESPECTABLE WAGE FOR IT 09:52:32 I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY, MADAM CHAIR AND YIELD BACK THE 09:52:36 BALANCE OF MY TIME WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE 09:52:43 MINORITY, WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE AUTHOR OF THE AG JOBS BILL, 09:52:47 MR BERMAN FOR HIS STATEMENT AND THEN MR SMITH AND MR CONNERS 09:52:52 WILL GIVE THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS 09:52:54 MR BERMAN THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM 09:52:57 CHAIR AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HOLDING A HEARING WHICH 09:53:01 PERHAPS LIKE FEW OTHERS WILL HIGHLIGHT THE CONDITIONS OF 09:53:07 MIGRANT FARM WORKERS IN THIS COUNTRY AND TURN ATTENTION TO 09:53:12 THIS CRITICAL ISSUE I THANK BOTH THE CHAIR AND 09:53:16 RANKING MEMBER AND FULL COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING TO GO 09:53:19 THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON FOR 40 YEARS AND 09:53:27 IN THE LAST 10 YEARS HAVE EACH SESSION INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN 09:53:32 LEGISLATION TO TRY AND DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE 09:53:38 UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE I CHAIR ANOTHER COMMITTEE, I HAVE A 09:53:41 HEARING AT 10:00 AND SO I APPRECIATE THE COURTESIES 09:53:46 EXTENDED TO LET ME JUMP IN LINE HERE 09:53:49 I'M GOING TO FORGO MY PREPARED OPENING STATEMENT BUT I SIMPLY 09:53:55 MUST RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS OF THE RANKING MEMBER, MY FRIEND 09:53:59 THE RANKING MEMBER ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE 09:54:04 THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE CHAIR SAID -- THERE IS NOTHING 09:54:08 IMPLICIT IN THE TAKE OUR JOBS CAMPAIGN EXPLICIT OR IMPLICIT 09:54:14 THAT SAID AMERICANS AREN'T DOING HARD WORK AND IF THE GENTLEMAN 09:54:20 FROM IOWA WERE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS ON THE 09:54:28 FARMS AND THE WAGES, I WOULD HAVE NOTICED MORE ACTIVITY TO 09:54:33 ENSURE THAT A NUMBER OF THE LAWS THAT APPLY TO ALL OTHER WORKERS 09:54:36 IN AMERICA APPLY WITH EQUAL FORCE TO THE PEOPLE WHO PICK OUR 09:54:42 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THIS COUNTRY 09:54:44 I WOULD SEE AN EFFORT TO PUSH GREATER APPROPRIATIONS AND 09:54:48 GREATER FUNDING FOR PEOPLE TO MONITOR THE WORKING CONDITIONS 09:54:51 ON OUR FARMS I'D SEE AN EFFORT TO TRY AND GET 09:54:54 THE RIGHTS THAT ALL OTHER WORKERS HAVE TO COLLECTIVE 09:54:58 BARGAINING EXTENDED TO FARM WORKERS WHO ARE EXCLUDED FROM 09:55:01 OUR NATIONAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LEGISLATION 09:55:04 THE FACT IS THAT WHILE AMERICANS OVER AND OVER AGAIN HAVE 09:55:10 PRODUCED BOTH THEIR -- HAVE SHOWN BOTH THEIR COURAGE AND 09:55:13 THEIR WILLINGNESS TO UNDERTAKE TERRIBLY DIFFICULT JOBS, JOBS 09:55:17 THAT I WOULD DARE TO SAY THE PEOPLE ON THIS PODIUM INCLUDING 09:55:22 MYSELF WOULD BE VERY RELUCTANT TO TAKE STUDY AFTER STUDY 09:55:28 INCLUDING STUDIES AT THE TIME OF WELFARE REFORM WHERE HUGE 09:55:32 NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE FORCED OFF OF THE WELFARE 09:55:37 R ROLLS AND COUNTIES WHERE 09:55:39 UNEMPLOYMENT WAS TWO OR THREE TIMES THE AVERAGE OF THE COUNTRY 09:55:46 GENERALLY, PEOPLE WOULD RATHER HAVE NO INCOME AND NO WELFARE 09:55:51 THAN TAKE THE BACK-BREAKING JOBS THAT THE MIGRANT FARM WORKER HAS 09:55:58 TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE 09:56:02 YOU CAN TRY AND CHEAP SEAT IT ALL YOU WANT, BUT WE KNOW THAT 09:56:08 WERE IT NOT FOR IMMIGRANT FARM WORKERS IN THIS COUNTRY THERE 09:56:14 WOULD BE NO SEASONAL FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INDUSTRY AND I 09:56:19 JOIN THE GENTLEMAN WANTING BETTER WAGES AND BETTER WORKING 09:56:23 CONDITIONS AND WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY AND 09:56:26 IMPROVE THOSE CONDITIONS, BUT THE FACTS ARE THE FACTS, STUDY 09:56:29 AFTER STUDY HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THESE JOBS ARE NOT TAKEN BY 09:56:35 US WORKERS EVEN WHEN UNEMPLOYED, EVEN WHEN HAVING NO 09:56:39 OTHER SIGNIFICANT MEANS OF SUPPORT 09:56:41 AND NOTHING THAT -- NO RHETORICAL FLOURISHES CAN HIDE 09:56:46 THAT FACT I COMMEND THE GENTLE LADY FOR 09:56:50 HOLDING THIS HEARING I WANT TO PAY A SPECIAL 09:56:52 RECOGNITION FOR MY DEAR FRIEND, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED FARM 09:56:56 WORKERS UNION, ARTURO RODRIGUEZ AND THE OTHER WITNESSES, AS WELL 09:57:00 AND APOLOGIZE FOR -- I HOPE TO COME BACK WHEN MY HEARING IS 09:57:04 OVER BUT NOT TO BE HERE FOR THE ENTIRE HEARING 09:57:07 I YIELD BACK THANK YOU, MR BERMAN 09:57:09 WE WOULD NOW RECOGNIZE THE RANKING MEMBER OF THE FULL 09:57:11 COMMITTEE MR SMITH FOR HIS OPENING STATEMENT AND HE WILL BE 09:57:16 FOLLOWED BY MR CONYERS AND THEN JUST TO KEEP IT EVEN WE'LL 09:57:21 INVITE MR LUNDGREN TO HAVE AN OPENING STATEMENT AND OTHERS 09:57:25 WILL BE INVITED TO SUBMIT OPENING STATEMENTS 09:57:28 THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AMERICAN WORKERS FACE TOUGH 09:57:32 ECONOMIC TIMES WITH UNEMPLOYMENT ALMOST 10% FOR 09:57:35 THE FIRST TIME IN A GENERATION, JOBS HAVE BECOME SCARCE AND 09:57:39 MILLIONS OF FAMILIES ARE HURTING 09:57:42 THE PEW HISPANIC CENTER ESTIMATES THERE ARE MORE THAN 7 09:57:46 MILLION ILLEGAL WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES 09:57:50 ALEXANDER ALANAKOFF, INS OFFICIAL AND HIGH COMMISSIONER 09:57:55 FOR REFUGEES CALLS IT A MYTH THAT THERE ARE LITTLE OR NO 09:58:00 COMPETITION BETWEEN UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS AND AMERICAN WORKERS 09:58:04 THIS COMPETITION HAS HAD DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE MOST 09:58:07 VULNERABLE OF AMERICANS OVER 32% OF NATIVE-BORN WORKERS 09:58:12 WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE ARE EITHER UNEMPLOYED, FORCED TO 09:58:15 WORK PART TIME OR TOO DISCOURAGED TO EVEN LOOK FOR 09:58:19 WORK FOR NATIVE BORN HISPANICS 09:58:21 WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE, THE RATE IS 35% 09:58:25 FOR NATIVE BORN AFRICAN-AMERICANS WITHOUT A HIGH 09:58:27 SCHOOL DEGREE, THE RATE IS 43% WE COULD MAKE MILLIONS OF JOBS 09:58:34 AVAILABLE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS AND LEGAL IMMIGRANTS IF THE 09:58:37 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SIMPLY ENFORCED OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS 09:58:41 ABOUT HALF OF AGRICULTURE WORKERS ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 09:58:46 SO THAT MEANS THAT A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF LEGAL WORKERS, LABOR 09:58:51 IN THE FIELDS, PERHAPS AS MANY AS HALF 09:58:54 CERTAINLY EVEN MORE WOULD TAKE THESE JOBS IF THE WAGES AND 09:58:57 WORKING CONDITIONS WERE BETTER THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS WE HAVE 09:59:01 TO SAVE JOBS FOR AMERICANS ARE