[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8528]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               INDENTURED SERVITUDE ABOLITION ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2007

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, thousands of foreign 
workers in this country are being systematically exploited and abused 
every day. I am introducing the Indentured Servitude Abolition Act of 
2007 to ensure that these workers have basic human rights protections 
and safeguards against recruitment abuses.
  The Indentured Servitude Abolition Act of 2007 requires that 
employers provide in writing and in advance of employment, specific 
information relating to an individual's working terms and conditions so 
that workers know the length of their employment, where they will be 
working and living, how much they will be paid, and what benefits will 
be made available to them. Under the Act employers will be prohibited 
from charging the worker a recruitment fee, and obligated to pay the 
worker's transportation costs. Finally, if an employer or recruiter 
violates the Act, they will be subject to criminal sanctions, civil 
penalties and injunctive relief.
  Unscrupulous employers in this country are luring unskilled foreign 
workers with the promise of riches--that they can earn 10 times as much 
or more if they come to work in America. The foreign workers, most of 
whom come from impoverished backgrounds, are charged fees--sometimes 
thousands of dollars--to secure these jobs. To cover the upfront 
expenses many sell their land, their homes, or take out high interest 
loans. They risk everything with the dream of earning enough money to 
provide for a better life for themselves and their families.
  The reality for these workers stands in stark contrast to the riches 
and opportunity that was promised. Employers often refuse to pay the 
workers overtime or alternatively refuse to schedule them for full-time 
work. They work in unsafe conditions, and are forced to live in 
squalor. Living in fear and with no ability to speak out about the 
abuses, workers are trapped in virtual involuntary servitude under 
sweatshop working conditions, indebted by usurious recruitment fees, 
paid inadequate wages and too often cheated out of what little they are 
owed.
  The Indentured Servitude Abolition Act of 2007 simply demands that 
these foreign workers be treated with the respect and dignity that they 
deserve. The Act requires that the working conditions promised are in 
fact the working conditions that will exist. We can no longer allow 
employers to treat foreign workers as commodities--we have a 
responsibility to ensure that every individual working and living in 
this country is afforded labor protections and adequate legal 
safeguards.

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