Thread: Email reply from Senator Durbin concerning agjob bill

3/15/07

Email reply from Senator Durbin.

I don't understand. I wrote concerning bill S.237- but he mentions S.359. I was following "the focus campaign" from the following module. Did I mess up?
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=57017

Senator Durbin also extended an invitation to join him and Senator Obama for coffee and donuts!

Dear____

Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to the
Agricultural Jobs Opportunity, Benefits, and Security (AgJobs) Act, S.
359. I appreciate hearing from you.

The H-2A agricultural worker program provides for the temporary
admission of foreign agricultural workers in the absence of available
U.S. farm workers. Currently, to be eligible for H-2A worker
assistance, employers must first apply to the U.S. Department of Labor
(DOL) for a certification that: 1) there are not sufficient U.S. workers
who are qualified and available to perform the work; and 2) the
employment of foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and
working conditions of U.S. workers who are similarly employed. As part
of this certification process, employers must attempt to recruit U.S.
workers and must cooperate with DOL-funded state employment service
agencies in local, intrastate, and interstate recruitment efforts.
The H-2A program has been criticized by both employers and labor.
Employers complain that the H-2A program is cumbersome and does not meet
their need for workers. Labor advocates argue that the program provides
insufficient protections for U.S. workers.
The AgJobs Act, introduced by Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, would
reauthorize and revise the process for obtaining H-2A workers,
particularly for jobs covered by collective bargaining agreements. In
the case of a job covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the
employer would have to assure, among other things, that there is an
applicable union contract and that the employees' bargaining
representatives have been notified of the filing of an application for
H-2A workers.

The AgJobs Act also contains several provisions to protect workers'
benefits, wages, and working conditions. Under the legislation, all
workers in jobs covered by H-2A applications must be provided with
workers' compensation insurance, and no job may be filled by an H-2A
worker that is vacant because the previous occupant is on strike or
involved in a labor dispute.

In addition, the legislation modifies the H-2A program by establishing a
legalization process for agricultural workers. To obtain temporary
resident status, foreign workers would have to establish that they
performed at least 575 hours, or 100 work days, of agricultural
employment in the United States during any 12 consecutive months during
the 18-month period ending on December 31, 2004. To be eligible to
obtain legal permanent resident status, the alien would have to perform
at least 2,060 hours, or 360 work days, of agricultural work in the
United States during the six years following passage of the Act.

The AgJobs Act represents a carefully crafted compromise between the
grower community and farmworker organizations, and has been endorsed by
both. The legislation will help maintain the continued vitality of
American agriculture, and it enjoys broad bipartisan support in the
Senate. I am one of 48 Senate cosponsors of this measure.

A slightly modified version of the AgJobs Act was included in S.
2611, the comprehensive immigration reform legislation that passed the
Senate on May 25, 2006. I voted in support of S. 2611, as it takes a
comprehensive approach toward reforming the many problems that have been
created by our broken immigration system. While far from perfect, the
comprehensive approach that the Senate adopted in S. 2611 represents a
significant improvement over our current immigration system, and I will
support such a comprehensive approach as the Congress continues to
address immigration reform.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to stay in touch.

Sincerely,




Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

RJD/ds

P.S. If you are ever visiting Washington, please feel free to join
Senator Obama and me at our weekly constituent coffee. When the Senate is in session, we provide coffee and donuts every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. as we hear what is on the minds of Illinoisans and respond your
questions. We would welcome your participation. Please call my D.C.
office for more details.

There are currently 3 bills- I suspect S.359 may have been from the109th Congress.

AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.237.IS]
AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.340.IS]
AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R.371.IH]

The current AGJOBS - see Alipac Focus Campaign - allows for LEGALIZATION of a virtual OPEN ENDED number of people.
There is so much crap in there that you need a freaking weed wacker to get thru it.

Durbin is slick? I think NOT!

More bull shit being flung to the American people by this senator.

Agjobs is AMNESTY!!!!!!!!

Do you think they will keep picking once they have citizenship? Hell no, they will go to work for Burger King and Wal-Mart.

Ahhhh, Born Again Bills

AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.237.IS]
AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate)[S.340.IS]
AgJOBS Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R.371.IH]

Dixie

AND...........get medical, EDUCATION, in-state TUITION, etc. etc.

PLUS +++++ VOTING RIGHTS

NO DICE.........NO INCREASE IN ANY VISA CATEGORY!!

I know. I am against the agjob bills. They are all crammed with lots of benefits and other free stuff for everyone in their families. And no one is going to pick vegetables all day, when they can get more money working at McDonalds. Thats why they keep extending the amount of visas for agjobs. Because no one stays in the program once they are here.