Thread: Georgians, this is what our leaders in Congress say

Chambliss' Floor Statement on New Immigration Legislation

December 13, 2005

Mr. President,



I rise to introduce the Agricultural Employment and Workforce Protection Act. My home state of Georgia is one of the most diversified agricultural producing states east of the Mississippi. The livelihood of many of my constituents and many Americans across the country depends on the quality of the crop, the bounty of the harvest, and the health of the livestock.



In drafting this legislation I am introducing today, I was guided by four principles:

(1) Prevention – if we do not stem the tide of illegal immigrants coming into our country then there is no point in Congress attempting to have a positive impact on our immigration policy. Strict enforcement of our immigration laws is essential and we should demand no less.



(2) Protection – the United States has always been a welcoming country to immigrants, and many non-immigrants are admitted for temporary periods to perform necessary jobs – particularly in the field of agriculture – that employers cannot fill. However, any temporary worker program must provide adequate protections for American jobs. Employers should not view alien workers as a way to get cheaper labor – it is not fair to Americans willing to work hard and looking for a well-paying job and it is not fair to the aliens who are exploited by working for sub-standard wages.



(3) Accountability – if Congress, through reform legislation, provides employers with an avenue to obtain legal temporary workers, there should be no tolerance for employers who hire illegal aliens. We all know that many illegal immigrants come to the United States seeking employment. Employers who flaunt the rule of law by hiring illegally are hampering our efforts to secure the border by providing incentives for people to illegally come to the United States, and they must be held accountable.



(4) Compassion – We are a nation of immigrants and immigrants have made many wonderful contributions to our country – not the least of which is helping ensure there is a stable supply of food in the grocery stores for all Americans. We need to ensure that those workers who come to the United States on a temporary basis to perform agricultural work are not exploited and are treated with fairness and respect. The best way to show compassion for illegal immigrants is to stop illegal immigration.



I know the Senate is planning to take up debate on comprehensive immigration reform early next year, and I think it is important that we engage in this discussion. The purpose of my legislation is to ensure that reform for the agricultural community is included in whatever reforms Congress considers. The agricultural sector of our economy has been historically plagued by illegal immigration. We already have an avenue for agricultural employers to obtain legal temporary workers – the H-2A program. However, many agricultural employers do not use the program because its bureaucracy is difficult to navigate, it is costly, and it is litigious. In addition, it excludes certain occupations from agriculture. My legislation provides needed reforms to the H-2A program, provides for the creation of a temporary blue card program, establishes an H-2AA worker program for cross-border commuter workers, and, above all, provides for increased border security.



First, it mandates that the Department of Homeland Security establish and present to Congress a comprehensive plan for increased border security and stricter enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws, including detailed strategies, timelines, and estimated costs. Until such time the Secretary presents and Congress approves the plan, some interim measures would apply.





Second, the legislation streamlines and modernizes the H-2A program. H-2A is not a new guestworker program. It has been around for many years, but underutilized because of its high costs, red tape, and risks of drawn out litigation. To increase the use of the program, the bill expands the definition of “agricultureâ€

Well, I guess there's not a Georgian here that cares much today. I spent several hours perusing the U.S. Senate, got through the first 49 alphabetically. I had no idea that this issue is dealt with so apathetically by those whom we have elected.

In the first 49, I found 13 that included 'Immigration/Border Security' in their list of ISSUES, and only 5 that could be considered 'Border advocates'. If you don't want to count to 49, I got to Hutchison, Kay Bailey.

Here are the 5 Patriots.

1. Allard-R-Co.
2. Burns-R-Mt.
3. Coburn-R-Ok.
4. DeMint-R-S.C.
5. Gregg-R-N.H.

In that same 49, 7 claimed to support the Presidents 'initiative', and 5 were in the Open Borders/Amnesty crowd.

What disgusts me most is that less than 40% of our elected Senators even consider this an ISSUE, and only 10% are on the RIGHT SIDE of it! I got so dismayed I couldn't even do the other 51! Aw hell, I'll get some sleep and do them tomorrow.

And it's officially 3AM EST. Somebody fix the board clock! LOL!