[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 184 (Monday, November 18, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8943-H8944]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             A SOLUTION TO THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY'S NEEDS

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, last week after many months of hard work by 
staff and Members here in a bipartisan fashion, amazingly in this 
atmosphere here, we introduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Act 
legislation. This will really clean up the process for ag labor in this 
country, something desperately needed. It will be

[[Page H8944]]

better for the workers, better for the farmers, and much better for the 
rule of law.
  With the problems we have on our border, the problems with 
immigration as it is these days, at least the ag worker section will be 
able to be much better monitored and much better regulated, and indeed, 
much better off for the workers themselves not having to live in the 
shadows.
  This legislation modernizes the H-2A program. It stabilizes wages, 
institutes a merit-based system for ag workers to eventually earn legal 
status after years of proven work and consistent employment in the U.S. 
ag industry.
  So when you look at the whole package here, where we stand right now 
with the disarray in nonofficial status that we have, this is going to 
be a vast improvement, and I urge people to get behind that.

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