[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 346 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 346

  Honoring the Thai-American garment workers who opened the country's 
  eyes to sweatshop conditions in the United States and, against all 
  odds, expanded rights for immigrant workers and survivors of human 
 trafficking while holding corporations responsible for the conditions 
                    in which their clothes are made.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 2023

Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Padilla, and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the Thai-American garment workers who opened the country's 
  eyes to sweatshop conditions in the United States and, against all 
  odds, expanded rights for immigrant workers and survivors of human 
 trafficking while holding corporations responsible for the conditions 
                    in which their clothes are made.

Whereas Thai garment workers were forced to work behind barbed wire and under 
        armed guard in an apartment complex in El Monte, California, sewing 
        garments for 16 to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week under the threat of 
        harm to themselves and their families in Thailand;
Whereas the workers were trafficked into the United States, held against their 
        will, had their passports taken from them, and were denied contact with 
        the outside world until August 2, 1995, when a multiagency law 
        enforcement raid exposed their conditions of involuntary servitude;
Whereas the workers were threatened with deportation until community advocates 
        intervened and helped the workers find freedom, shelter, new jobs, and 
        the chance to rebuild their lives in the United States;
Whereas the workers filed a landmark lawsuit against their captors and against 
        the companies they were sewing for, which was the first Federal lawsuit 
        of its kind, transformed the garment industry, and launched anti-
        sweatshop legislation and campaigns across the country and around the 
        world that reverberate to this day;
Whereas advocates fought for the workers to stay in the United States and 
        pioneered the use of S visas, in partnership with Federal prosecutors, 
        which led to the creation of T and U visas to protect workers who serve 
        as material witnesses to come forward and report abuse and exploitation 
        without fear of immigration-based retaliation;
Whereas the workers have inspired countless individuals, and their story has 
        been documented in books, an animated short, museums, including the 
        National Museum of American History, and is taught in high school, 
        college, and law school curricula;
Whereas the workers freed from the El Monte sweatshop went on to contribute in 
        invaluable ways to the United States as activists, spokespersons, small 
        business owners, health care professionals, service providers, and more; 
        and
Whereas the workers are now inducted into the United States Department of 
        Labor's Hall of Honor, taking their rightful place in the labor history 
        of the United States for their courage, resilience, and groundbreaking 
        efforts: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors the Thai garment workers freed from the El Monte 
        sweatshop for their courage, persistence, and resilience;
            (2) recognizes the many legal, cultural, and policy changes 
        that have resulted from the El Monte sweatshop case;
            (3) recognizes the individuals that continue to fight 
        against forced labor and human trafficking, for corporate 
        accountability, and for an end to exploitative working 
        conditions; and
            (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
        transmit--
                    (A) an enrolled copy of this resolution to the 
                Director of the National Museum of American History; 
                and
                    (B) 5 copies of this resolution to the Secretary of 
                Labor.
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