[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 126 (Tuesday, October 1, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H6828-H6832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR FOREIGN GUEST LABORERS, KNOWN AS BRACEROS, WHO 
             WORKED IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1942 TO 1964

  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 522) expressing gratitude for the foreign guest 
laborers, known as Braceros, who worked in the United States during the 
period from 1942 to 1964.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Whereas because of a labor shortage resulting from the 
     entry of the United States into World War II, the Federal 
     Government issued contracts to Mexican, Canadian, Jamaican, 
     and Puerto Rican citizens willing to cross into the United 
     States to accept temporary employment;
       Whereas hundreds of thousands of these men and women, known 
     as Braceros, labored in the Nation's agricultural, 
     transportation, and other industries during the period from 
     1942 to 1964;
       Whereas the first 1,500 Braceros arrived in California from 
     Mexico City, Mexico, on September 29, 1942, to work in the 
     sugar beet fields until December 24 of that year;
       Whereas thousands of Braceros labored on the Nation's 
     railroads, maintaining and expanding critical infrastructure 
     for the transportation of food, equipment, and other valuable 
     supplies during and after World War II;
       Whereas the heroic work effort of the Braceros has been 
     recognized by many State and local governments around the 
     Nation, but has not been recognized by the Federal 
     Government;
       Whereas the Nation and the world owe a debt of gratitude 
     for the contribution the Braceros made to the war effort that 
     defeated fascism in Europe and Asia;
       Whereas more than 1,000,000 Braceros and their families or 
     descendants are still United States residents or citizens; 
     and
       Whereas September 29, 2002, is the 60th anniversary of the 
     first arrival of Bracero guest workers in the United States: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses gratitude for the foreign guest laborers, 
     known as Braceros, who worked in the United States during the 
     period from 1942 to 1964; and
       (2) recognizes the Braceros for their contributions to the 
     war effort and for their hard work, which helped to keep the 
     United States strong and prosperous during this challenging 
     period.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Resolution 522.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of this resolution sponsored by my friend and 
colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), which recognizes 
and honors the foreign guest laborers who worked here in the United 
States during a 22-year period from 1942 to 1964.
  As a result of severe wartime shortages, the United States entered 
into an agreement with Mexico for the legal employment of agricultural 
workers from Mexico. During this time, between 4 and 5 million guest 
workers known as ``braceros,'' were employed in the United States. They 
were an important source of labor during this period, helping to 
alleviate shortages of workers, particularly in the agricultural 
industry.
  Thousands of braceros also labored on our Nation's railroads, 
maintaining and expanding critical infrastructure that provided 
transportation for food and supplies during and after World War II.
  This past Sunday marked the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the 
first of these guest workers in the United States. They constituted an 
important part of our country's workforce during World War II, when 
labor became a valuable commodity, especially on farms. Today, many of 
these workers and their families or descendants are residents of the 
United States.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to join me in supporting 
this resolution expressing gratitude for the braceros and acknowledging 
their hard work and important contribution to our economy during a most 
challenging period in our Nation's history.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the committee, as well as my good 
friends, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) and the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), for their work in bringing H.R. 522 to the 
floor today.
  During World War II, America experienced an enormous labor shortage. 
The U.S. asked the Mexican Government to send guest workers to help 
relieve the shortage, particularly in the agricultural regions of 
California and Texas, as well as Florida. Between 1942 and the 1960s, 
approximately 5 million guest workers called braceros came and worked 
in America's fields and on our railroads. They helped us grow the food 
we needed to feed American soldiers. By maintaining the railroads, they 
kept our guns and tanks and military equipment moving to our ports for 
shipment to soldiers overseas.
  When we asked them to come, they came and did the back-breaking 
manual labor necessary to get the job done. The braceros asked for very 
little in return. They only wanted a fair wage for their work. As 
government contract workers, they were required to have 10 percent of 
their wages withheld. This money was to be placed in savings accounts 
and paid to the workers upon their return to Mexico.
  Unfortunately, many braceros fell prey to abusive employers and the 
negligence of the U.S. Government and the Mexican Government. This 
money, estimated between 60 and $70 million, was never repaid; and 
there is no clear accounting of where it went. A class action suit has 
been filed on their behalf to finally bring them redress, relief from 
distress.
  Despite the way they were treated, these braceros valued their 
contributions to the United States. Many have kept their identification 
cards as a proud remembrance of their service to this country. Many 
ultimately settled here and have raised families.
  More than 1 million braceros and their descendants are now permanent 
residents, or they have applied for and received American citizenship. 
Sunday, September 29, 2002 was the 60th anniversary of the day the 
first braceros arrived in this country. It is fitting that today we 
take this time to finally say ``thank you'' to these workers who came 
and helped us in our time of need.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), the sponsor of this 
resolution.
  (Mr. OSE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. OSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a group of individuals 
known as the braceros for their incredible contributions to our great 
Nation. As a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, 
the United States formally entered the Second World War. This was a 
fight for freedom, both foreign and domestic, to protect our allies and 
our own Nation, and to end a war we neither started nor wanted. This 
part of the history lesson is taught in virtually every school in our 
Nation. It is well known by our students, far and wide. However, one 
particular group is often left out of the history books.
  World War II forced our Nation to shift our economy. Throughout the 
war, upwards of 13 million men and women served in our Nation, roughly 
one-tenth of the total population. While our service people were 
fighting across the oceans, millions more were working constant shifts 
in the factories to support the effort. This resulted in a severe labor 
shortage in concentrated areas, such as agriculture.
  In an effort to minimize this loss of labor, the United States and 
our good friend to the south, Mexico, entered into a bilateral 
agreement in August of

[[Page H6829]]

1942 to provide contract labor. These guest workers known as braceros, 
literally meaning ``strong arms,'' were recruited and hired to work in 
the fields and on the railroads across the United States.
  The first 1,500 braceros to enter the United States arrived in 
California to work in the sugar beet fields outside of Stockton on 
September 29, 1942, where they worked until December 24th of that same 
year. I would like to point out, as the gentleman from Texas has, my 
good friend, that this past Sunday marked the 60th anniversary of the 
first braceros in the United States.
  Over the course of the next 22 years, as many as 5 million braceros 
participated in the program supporting our critical infrastructure. It 
was through their hard work that our Nation was able to effectively 
sustain our agricultural economy, as well as expand and maintain our 
railroads, resulting in a safe, reliable, and effective means of 
transporting food, medicine, troops, and other supplies for the war.
  In 1964, the last braceros fulfilled their contracts and the program 
came to an end. However, their contributions last even today.
  The United States did suffer a severe labor shortage as a result of 
World War II, but thanks to the efforts and hard work of millions of 
braceros from our good neighbor to the south, our Nation survived and 
today prospers. It is time we honor their contributions during this 
time of crisis and recognize the braceros for their place in American 
history. I rise today to say ``thank you'' to those who lent a hand.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I was very pleased to hear my friend, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Ose), talk about the need for the braceros who came to the United 
States to help us, who had strong arms, as he said. They also had 
strong backs. They worked very hard, just like our friends from other 
countries who came at the turn of the century from the European 
countries that included the Irish and included the Polish and 
Czechoslovakians and Germans and many others who came to help us build 
our country.
  I am very pleased that I was invited to come and speak on behalf of 
this resolution, H.R. 522, because I come from Mexican immigrants, 
Mexican immigrant parents who came in 1910 as children.

                              {time}  1500

  My father was 9 years old and had just lost his father during the 
beginning of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, and my mother came at the 
age of 5 with her parents from Chihuahua, Mexico, so I can relate to 
many of the braceros who came to work in agricultural fields and other 
jobs where we needed them in the United States. I have seen how this 
kaleidoscope of people from different countries has helped us build a 
country that we enjoy today.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to our good friend, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member of the 
subcommittee.
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman 
for yielding time to me.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to honor the 
foreign guest workers who worked in the United States from 1942 to 
1964. Those of us who represent California and Texas and other areas 
along the border can clearly remember the hard work performed by the 
braceros.
  When I was a young person going to school, I worked alongside of many 
of the braceros in what is now my congressional district in the fields 
there and in the orchards, with people who worked very, very hard, 
toiled at great length, and provided badly needed labor in our 
agricultural sector of the California economy.
  As many have pointed out, they originally came here in World War II 
so we could free many of our citizens to go off and fight in the Second 
World War and they could continue to provide work here on the home 
front. This resolution honors those individuals, and it honors their 
dignity, and it honors the contribution that they have given to this 
country.
  What we should not honor is the conditions under which they worked, 
the conditions under which they were forced to live, the conditions 
under which they were separated from their families, the hours that 
they were required to toil, and the actual working conditions.
  We had what became a big issue, a critical issue of the short-handled 
hoe that they were required to work with that led to disabilities of 
very young people, and in many instances permanent disabilities of 
their ability to work.
  It was a fact that many of their children were kept from the schools 
of various States and this Nation, and there was very little or no 
sanitation for these individuals; that they were required to work 
constantly around pesticides that at that time were literally put on 
the crops without protective gear, without being able to wash up after 
work, without being able to protect their families and places that they 
lived from those very same pesticides.
  I say that because I spent time in what we called the bracero camps 
at that time, with as many as 12 or 14 people sharing a single room, or 
multiple families, or families sharing space with individuals, or 
individuals sleeping in the trucks at night when they were not used by 
the farmers that they were working for.
  So while we think back about the dignity of those workers and the 
contribution they made to this Nation, Madam Speaker, we should 
understand the problems that they had when they tried to get fair 
wages; when, in many instances, they worked and were not paid; when, in 
many instances, they were worked, and unjust withholding was taken from 
their paycheck.
  Yet out of this incredibly disgraceful treatment of these 
individuals, we saw the growth and the beginning of a very powerful 
movement that gave additional dignity and power to these men and women, 
led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers 
Union, born in the 1960s, to demand decent living and working 
conditions. That movement brought to the attention of consumers across 
this Nation how the inexpensive food, fruits and vegetables they were 
eating were subsidized by the poor working conditions and the poor 
wages of these individuals, which led to a nationwide boycott of the 
grape industry that was one of the most successful in the history of 
this country. That continues today to vigorously pursue the rights of 
these individuals to improve their working conditions.
  Just this week, Governor Gray Davis signed into legislation a bill 
that requires mandatory mediation of labor disputes in the agricultural 
industry in our State. Why? Because many of these workers had a right 
to a union 23 years ago, and they still have not gotten the union. They 
won the elections, they won them all. They have not been recognized. 
Now we are saying if, after 3 years, you cannot get it, we will have 
mandatory mediation.

  He also signed legislation to try to get back the wages that were 
withheld from them so they could pay for their trip back to Mexico, but 
they were never returned to them, the 10 percent that was withheld. I 
wish this House would address that same issue. I wish this House would 
address agricultural labor. I wish this House would address the 
restitution to these people.
  So as we speak here today and we talk about their dignity and their 
contribution, we have to recognize that many of these same conditions 
exist today. We have to recognize that this House, the Republican 
leadership, refuses to bring to the floor a resolution honoring Dolores 
Huerta, one of the most powerful labor leaders in the country, one of 
the most importantly symbolic labor leaders in this country with 
respect to females working in the agricultural movement and working in 
so many endeavors in this country; a woman who gave almost her life 
with the terrible illnesses, from all of her exposures in the field, 
this last year. Yet this House cannot summon its ability to recognize 
her dignity and her contribution to the American fabric and the fabric 
of this society.
  So I join this, because these people were entitled to this 
recognition. But this cannot be the only agenda for people who continue 
to toil in our fields, for people who continue to be exploited, for 
people who even have less status than the braceros, people who are 
hired every day. They are hired on Monday, and come payday on Friday, 
they call the INS service rather than pay them, and the government 
rounds

[[Page H6830]]

up the workers in the Napa Valley, in the Central Valley, in the 
Imperial Valley of California, people who today have no housing, no 
housing. These are people today who harvest the grapes that go into a 
$100 or $200 bottle of wine, and they have no housing. They sleep in 
the fields, in the cars, in the culverts. Those are the descendents of 
the braceros.
  There are some who want to create a new bracero program. While we 
honor their dignity and contribution, let us remember before we ever 
contemplate a new bracero program that these people had no status in 
terms of their ability to have decent working conditions, decent living 
conditions, and decent wages. We can never recreate that situation in 
the United States.
  I thank my colleagues on the committee for bringing this legislation 
to the floor. I hope the braceros and their descendants will understand 
what we are trying to do with this legislation, but I also would hope 
that they understand that the struggle continues, and I would hope that 
this Congress understands that the struggle continues for these people 
to receive economic and social justice, and dignity for their families.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of the 
gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), because I agree with all 
that he says of the injustices that braceros and guest workers have had 
to face over the many years that they have been helping us here in the 
United States.
  I wish to say that the story that I was telling you before I 
recognized the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) was that 
my parents were Mexican immigrants. They met here in the United States 
as adults, married, and had 11 children. I happened to be the eighth of 
those 11 children. They went on to become American citizens, and my 
father was an entrepreneur who created a small meat processing company, 
and it grew to where they hired over 350 employees. Over the last 54 
years, that business has been one that has been recognized here by the 
Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration.
  All of this is to say that many of the immigrants, from whatever 
country they came from, have been making great contributions. So this 
resolution that we are asking our colleagues to support, H.R. 522, is 
one that is very noble and one that we urge everyone to support.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, let me congratulate my colleague, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ose), for bringing this resolution honoring the 
braceros and their contribution to our country during a very difficult 
period.
  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to express my support for 
House Resolution 522. This resolution is a modest, but important, first 
step in recognizing and honoring the tremendous contributions of 
Mexican guest workers, known as braceros, to our country in a time of 
great need.
  On September 29, 1942, sixty years ago this past Sunday, the U.S. 
government entered into a program that was designed to help America get 
through the economic challenges that accompanied World War II. Under 
the program, nearly 5 million workers came to the U.S. from Mexico, to 
carry out the back-breaking labor that kept our nation going. They 
filled in where labor was in short supply--especially in agriculture. 
Their work allowed America to carry out its war effort and to feed the 
country and its troops.
  In the years that followed, the program was expanded to include 
railroad laborers and guest workers from other nations. Working under 
harsh conditions and living far from their families and loved ones, 
these guest workers filled critical jobs, bolstered wartime production, 
put food on our tables, and helped build our country's transportation 
system. Braceros represented up to twenty-five percent of farm workers 
in several states, providing a significant source of labor that secured 
our nation's global leadership in agriculture. Many of the workers 
ultimately settled in the United States and raised families--more than 
one million braceros and their descendants are now permanent residents 
or citizens of our nation.
  Despite these significant contributions, however, braceros suffered 
neglect and injustice at the hands of our government, the Mexican 
government, and many of the contractors that employed them. Despite 
putting in a full day's work in the fields, despite being fully exposed 
to the elements and a full range of other challenges, braceros did not 
receive compensation for their back-breaking work in full. As many as 
400,000 workers saw their paychecks reduced by ten percent, totaling an 
estimated $70 million.
  During the first seven years of the program, the explicit policy 
governing the program required that each worker sacrifice ten percent 
of his or her salary, with the promise that it would be available to 
them upon their return to Mexico. These deductions disappeared and went 
unaccounted for. At least $70 million of it--which, with interest, may 
be worth as much as $500 million to a billion dollars today--was gone.
  Do we know where the money went? No. However, we do know this: under 
the bracero program, the U.S. government acted as the employer. Workers 
were contracted out to various businesses--farms, for example. The U.S. 
government withheld ten percent of their wages. The funds were then to 
be transferred to Wells-Fargo bank. The bank would transfer it to the 
Banco de Mexico which would then (supposedly) transfer it to regional 
banks.
  Somehwere along the way--sometime during a process which we know 
began on U.S. soil and may, for all we know, ended on U.S. soil, too--
the money was lost or taken away. All we know for sure is one thing: 
the money is still owed.
  In June of this year, I was pleased to introduce legislation that 
sought to secure relief for braceros who have long-awaited the 
compensation that they are due. My bill, the Bracero Justice Act of 
2002, H.R. 4918, would allow people to seek resources in a venue that 
so often has protected the most vulnerable in our society: the federal 
judicial system. In short, my bill would help secure a deserving group 
of people their day in court and to have their case heard on the 
merits.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 522. 
This nation owes the braceros a great debt for having helped us win 
World War II. Let us regard this resolution as the first step on the 
road to justice for these former guest workers, who, despite their 
sacrifices and suffering, remained hard-working compatriots in the war 
effort. I urge my colleagues to recognize the invaluable contributions 
of the braceros on this sixtieth anniversary and to support this 
resolution.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the hundreds of 
thousands of foreign workers, or braceros, who came to this country 
between 1942 and the late 1960s and to urge my colleagues to vote for 
H. Res. 522, expressing gratitude for their work. However, for Congress 
to truly honor the legacy of the braceros, it must pass the Bracero 
Justice Act. As many as 400,000 Mexico braceros who came to the U.S. 
before 1949 had money withheld from their paychecks, with the promise 
that it would be saved on their behalf, yet it was never returned. The 
Bracero Justice Act would help right this wrong.
  In many cases, braceros left their families in Mexico to come work 
for our benefit. For the most part, braceros took physically demanding 
jobs in agriculture and railroad construction, and worked for as little 
as 40 cents an hour. Many had to put up with slave-like conditions, 
working long hours with few or no breaks, suffering injuries, and 
dealing with abusive employers. Many of the bracero families were 
impoverished. The time to honor these workers and the sacrifices they 
made is long overdue.
  It would be a shame if further efforts to demand fairness for 
braceros were dismissed. It is unacceptable that workers who came to 
the U.S. in response to our call for help and our need for workers now 
be denied a voice to fight for what has always been theirs. The money 
taken from the braceros' paychecks could have been extremely helpful to 
their families, either at the time or had it been returned to them when 
they returned to Mexico, as was promised. Instead, it was never seen.
  Bracero workers of the past and immigrant workers today continue to 
contribute to the richness and diversity of this country. I am grateful 
for the work and sacrifices the braceros made. I will continue to work 
for the passage of the Bracero Justice Act. Justice and fairness have 
been denied these workers and their families for too long.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today in support of the resolution to honor our guest laborers from the 
Republic of Mexico, known as the Braceros, who worked here from 1942 to 
1964 and assisted the United States during World War II's severe labor 
shortage. It is most appropriate that we honor these Braceros now, on 
the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the first Braceros in the U.S. 
Without them, this country would have been in dire straits.
  At the start of the World War II, the United States needed hundreds 
of thousands of new workers to help with the war effort and make

[[Page H6831]]

up for those who left their jobs to serve in the military. Men and 
women worked 24 hour shifts, seven days a week to maintain the war 
effort, all the while trying to live their normal lives. We all 
recognize the image of Rosie the Riveter, but few know about another 
key and important element of the wartime workforce--the Mexican 
Braceros.
  In August 1942, the United States and Mexico signed a historic treaty 
for the purpose of recruiting and hiring Mexicans to work in 
agriculture and to expand and maintain U.S. railroads. These guest 
workers were known as the Braceros, literally meaning ``strong arms''. 
It was through their hard work that our agricultural economy was able 
to survive and our railroads were able to safely and effectively 
transport food, medicine, equipment, and soldiers for the war.
  The first 1,500 Braceros in the United States arrived for work in 
California on September 29, 1942, where they worked in the sugar beet 
fields outside of Stockton until December 24 of that year. Over the 
next twenty years, hundreds of thousands of Braceros labored across the 
United States supporting our critical infrastructure. Braceros 
constituted up to twenty-five percent of farm workers in several 
states, providing a significant source of labor that secured our 
nation's global dominance in agriculture.
  Join me as I enthusiastically support this long overdue resolution to 
honor the Braceros. We cannot allow such an important part of our 
nation's history to continue to be overlooked. Americans owe a debt of 
gratitude to them and their families.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
contributions of ``Braceros,'' to the United States workforce. During 
World War II the United States suffered from a shortage of labor as 
young men from across the country were shipped overseas in the armed 
forces or took factory jobs to support the war effort. In order to 
compensate for the lack of workers, especially in physically demanding 
jobs such as agriculture and railroad construction, the United States 
made arrangements with Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico to 
welcome hundreds of thousands of guest workers a year to fill the labor 
gap--the birth of the Bracero.
  On August 4, 1942, the United States government signed the Mexican 
Farm Labor Program Agreement with Mexico, the first among several 
agreements aimed at legalizing and controlling Mexican migrant farm 
workers along the southern border of the United States. Managed by 
several government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, 
as a temporary, war-related measure to supply much-needed workers 
during the early years of World War II, the Bracero program continued 
uninterrupted until 1964. The agreement guaranteed a minimum wage of 
thirty cents an hour and humane treatment (in the form of adequate 
shelter, food, sanitation, etc.) of Mexican farm workers in the United 
States.
  It has been estimated that in the 1950s the United States welcomed as 
many as 300,000 Mexican workers annually. By the end of the 1950s, 
Texas and other border states were receving large numbers of Braceros. 
Mexican agricultural workers, ofter considered an unlimited supply of 
cheap labor, have unfortunately often been the target of repressive 
work and living conditions and have been forced to seek assistance from 
a host of economic, political, social and humanitarian interests. 
Regrettably, poor wages, lack of educational opportunities for their 
children, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and discrimination have often 
colored these workers' exposure to the United States. These inexcusable 
conditions did not discourge or slow the flow of workers, but rather 
raised consciousness and unity amongst these exploited class of 
workers--leading to the creation of several mutual aid societies and 
the facility of labor organizing. Between 1942 and 1964 more than 4.5 
million Braceros entered the United States. Most remained to contribute 
their labor to the domestic economy.
  September 29, 2002, marks the 60th anniversary of the first arrival 
of Bracero guest workers into the United States. Without the many and 
great contributions of Braceros, the foundation upon which our great 
country has been built would not exist. I congratulate the more than 
1,000,000 Braceros and their families or descendants who still live in 
the United States for their relentless work ethic, pride, strength and 
endurance. I congratulate you today not only for the historic 
contributions you have made to our workforce, but also for your 
commitment to seek justice and equity in your homes and workplace. You 
have been relentless in your pursuit of enhanced opportunity for all 
workers and the improvement of opportunities available to you and your 
families through political and legal advocacy.
  Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support this resolution that 
recognizes the countless contributions of thousands of hard-working 
immigrants who came to the U.S. more than fifty years ago to work in 
our nation as guest workers. They worked in our farms and railroads and 
produced with their labor the many things we needed at the time.
  They gave part of their lives to the United States and followed the 
rules as they were told.
  It is only fitting that today this House recognize their many 
contributions.
  As Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, just like I am proud 
to support this recognition, I am also disappointed that this House has 
been unable to respond to the plight of the very same people we honor 
today by enacting the Bracero Justice Act.
  The Bracero Justice Act would go beyond the recognition that we 
support today and allow thousands of Braceros to be heard in court and 
make their case, and potentially receive money owed to them.
  Braceros came to work for America. They fulfilled their part of the 
agreement that brought them here, but apparently money that had been 
withheld from their paychecks never made it back to their hands as was 
promised. And now we are looking for that lost money and we want the 
courts to look into the allegations of these hard-working individuals 
and see that justice is done.
  It is only fair that if money was withheld and never made it back to 
the people who earned it we do the right thing for the Braceros and 
their families, and give them the opportunity to get it back.
  I strongly support this symbolic resolution and express my gratitude 
for all the contributions Braceros made to our country. I also call on 
this Congress to take a look at the Bracero Justice Act, to do the 
right thing and to move to help thousands of Braceros and their 
families.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to convey my support for H. 
Res. 522. A great debt is owed to the workers who came to our country 
during World War II, known as Braceros, when we were experiencing a 
labor shortage. We needed these workers in order to keep our 
agricultural and transportation sectors going. Indeed, we needed them 
in order to keep our entire country going. Without the work of these 
men and women on the railroads, we could not have transported the food 
and supplies needed at home and for the war effort. Without their labor 
in the fields, we would not have had an ample food supply here at home 
or for our soldiers. While long over due, this resolution is a token of 
our country's gratitude for the contributions these men and women made 
to our country. I am proud to support this resolution.
  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House 
Resolution 522 that celebrates the contributions that braceros have 
made to America.
  From 1942 to 1950, nearly 400,000 Mexican guest workers, known as 
braceros, were recruited to work in the United States in response to 
the severe labor shortage during World War II.
  They toiled in our fields and on our railroads 10 to 12 hours a day.
  Eager to make better lives for themselves and their families, these 
tireless workers helped to keep the United States stable and strong 
during a said chapter in our nation's history.
  The contributions of braceros to our country and its economy were 
immeasurable.
  It is for that reason that we must also pass the Bracero Justice Act. 
For in spite of the hard work performed by the braceros, many never 
received full compensation for their work.
  In fact, an estimated $60 million dollars was withheld from their 
paychecks. Sixty years later thousands are still waiting to receive 
wages they earned.
  Men like 75-year-old Mr. Andres Islas, a naturalized U.S. citizen, 
from my district, who performed backbreaking work in the agriculture 
fields of California in the 1940s.
  Mr. Islas, the father of Bell councilwoman Theresa Jacobo, recalls 
being told that the U.S. government was taking a portion of his 
paycheck, but was never told how or where he could reclaim it.
  He and all the braceros of that time have a right to be paid for 
their hard work during this time of crisis in our nation's history.
  The Bracero Justice Act, currently before the House of 
Representatives, will help this to happen by requiring the U.S. and 
Mexican governments to give these men their day in court.
  Justice is long overdue for Mr. Islas, his family, and the other 
braceros of that era, who sadly are passing away before this issue is 
resolved.
  This resolution correctly praises the braceros for their 
contributions and should be passed, but there is still an injustice 
that needs rectification.
  I urge the House leadership to bring the Bracero Justice Act to the 
floor for a vote and send a clear message that the U.S. is fair, just, 
and appreciative of those who toil on behalf of our country.
  Mr FARR of California. Madam Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 522, 
a long overdue

[[Page H6832]]

resolution to thank the Braceros for their contributions to the war 
effort.
  As the Representative of California's Central Coast, I have the 
distinct honor of representing the Salad Bowl of the Country, the 
Salinas Valley, known world wide for its lettuce and strawberry fields.
  The agriculture industry in the Salinas Valley was memorialized in 
John Steinbeck's novel, ``Grapes of Wrath.'' I am proud to state that 
the Bracero workforce contributed significantly to the economic 
development of the Salinas Valley and the surrounding region.
  Their hard labor then became the foundation for a thriving $2 billion 
fresh produce industry today.
  At the onset of WWII, many Americans left their civilian jobs to join 
the war effort. This left labor shortages in many sectors of the 
national economy, particularly in agriculture and transportation. The 
U.S. government looked to Mexico as a ready source to fill these labor 
needs.
  For the first time in our relationship with Mexico, the U.S. need for 
cooperation gave the Mexican government unprecedented bargaining power. 
The Mexican government insisted on a bilateral treaty to goven any 
large scale recruitment and movement of Mexican workers to the U.S.
  In 1942, a treaty between the two governments was signed that allowed 
for the recruitment and employment of agricultural workers and 
contemplated that further agreements might be negotiated for 
recruitment of workers in other industries. The agreement regarding 
railroad workers followed shortly thereafter. This program became known 
as The Bracero Program.
  These agreements covered a number of topics regarding recruitment, 
transport, salary and other terms and conditions of employment. The 
treaty contained a requirement that 10% of the salary of each worker 
was to be deducted by his employer and transmitted to the U.S. 
government for transfer to banks in Mexico. This 10% deduction was to 
be used for creation of a savings fund that the bracero could claim 
upon his return to Mexico. The savings fund for agricultural workers 
was to be held by Banco de Credito Rural; for railroad workers, by 
Banco del Ahorro National. Both banks were wholly owned by the Mexican 
government, and the transfers were to occur through the Banco de 
Mexico, the equivalent of our Federal Reserve Bank.
  According to documents from that era, an estimated $35 million was 
transferred through these various deduction programs between 1942 and 
1949. In 1949, the two governments dropped the 10% savings withholding 
and made several other reforms to the program. The Bracero program 
continued until 1964, but without the wage withholding provision.
  Due to a series of problems, including mal-administration of the 
program, delays in the sending of funds from the U.S. to Mexico, the 
lack of adequate information regarding how to retrieve funds, worker 
illiteracy, and the difficulty for workers residing in isolated rural 
areas in Mexico to access funds held in banks headquartered in Mexico 
City, a significant percentage of this money was never retrieved by the 
workers for whose benefit it was supposedly being held. The facts 
regarding the deduction and transmission of these funds have only 
recently come to light as a result of investigations of the savings 
fund program undertaken by bracero advocates in recent years. Most of 
these workers appear to have been unaware of the savings funds 
supposedly held on their behalf until recent publicity regarding this 
program and the filing of the lawsuit.
  In consequence, many Mexican workers--some of whom made a significant 
contribution to the effort of democratic governments to defeat fascism 
in Europe and Asia, never received the full salary to which they were 
entitled for their work. These men are now in their 60's, 70's, 80's 
and 90's. Many of them are in ill health. Due to the economic crises 
that have plagued Mexico for the last several decades, many are poor, 
and without any source of income to provide even the barest of 
necessities.
  While this resolution is a good first step, it is only that, a first 
step. What this body really needs to do is pass H.R. 4918, the Bracero 
Justice Act of 2002. That bill will provide standing to the Braceros to 
take their case to court, statute of limitations notwithstanding. The 
responsible parties in this matter have made it clear that they intend 
to hide behind legal technicalities to prevent these Mexican workers 
and their families from recouping what they lost. H.R. 4918 would 
ensure that the workers receive these long overdue funds.
  So I ask my colleagues today to pass H. Res. 522, but also to bring 
true justice to the Braceros and pass H.R. 4918 as well.
  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Resolution 522, honoring braceros. During World War II, working people 
across the country left their jobs to fight the war in Europe and the 
Pacific. Under an agreement between Mexico and the United States, 
thousands of Mexicans, known as braceros, left their homelands and came 
to the United States to help fill the labor shortage.
  The braceros performed labor-intensive work, toiling in the fields 
and building railroads. Their work kept the U.S. strong during a time 
of tremendous need and helped the Allies win World War II. Today, on 
International Bracero Day, we honor these hard-working men and pay them 
the respect they deserve.
  Unfortunately, the braceros' struggle for full recognition of their 
work continues. The agreement between the U.S. and Mexican governments 
called for 10 percent of their wages to be deducted, with the promise 
that the money would be refunded when the workers returned to Mexico. 
Sixty years later, that promise has yet to be kept. Thousands have 
never received these wages.
  I commend California Governor Gray Davis who recognized this struggle 
by signing into law yesterday a measure to help former braceros recover 
millions of dollars in lost wages by extending the applicable 
California statute of limitations.
  The braceros worked hard and played by the rules established by the 
U.S. and Mexican governments. Some eventually served in the military 
defending our nation an became United State citizens. In return for 
their hard work, the braceros simply asked to be treated fairly and 
honorably. It is time that we honor our commitment to the braceros and 
their families. I am glad that the House is taking a step in that 
direction today.
  Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 522.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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