Re:  Farmworker Immigration Legislation – AgJOBS -- H.R. 3142, S. 1645

Dear Member of Congress,

Please become a cosponsor of the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003, also known as AgJOBS. 

The bill numbers are S.1645 (Craig and Kennedy) and H.R. 3142 (Berman and Cannon).   In addition, help us pass AgJOBS

during the next several weeks.
 

·        The bill is a compromise between farmworker organizations, labor unions, agricultural employers, immigrant groups and others. 

It is endorsed by major agribusiness groups, farm labor organizations including the United Farm Workers and the .

Farm Labor Organizing Committee, Hispanic civil rights organizations like the National Council of La Raza, AFL-CIO and many others

·        The bill will give agricultural employers a stable labor supply by giving many agricultural workers who lack authorized immigration status

the chance to become legal immigrants.  The majority of farmworkers now are undocumented.  Under this earned adjustment program,

the workers will have to demonstrate that they have been working in the U.S. and then must work three to six additional years in agriculture

in the U.S. to gain permanent immigration status. 

·        It also will revise the current H-2A agricultural guestworker program, including by converting it from a labor certification program

to a labor attestation program with less paperwork for employers, modeled after the H-1B program.  Important safeguards for labor will continue.

·        The legislation will promote homeland security by helping our government identify who is inside the United States. 

This bipartisan legislation already has significant support.  Majority Senate Leader Frist said that he is willing to put this on the calendar for

consideration if sufficient support is shown.  Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has announced his support of the bill.  The goal is to gain

at least 60 Senate cosponsors, half Democrat and half Republican.  As of March 1, 2004, we have 51.   In the House, we have 90 cosponsors. 

This compromise on earned legalization program and on changes to the H-2A guestworker program was carefully drafted after arduous

negotiations over every word that took hundreds of hours after years of confrontations in Congress.  The delicate compromise, based on painful

concessions on all sides of the debate, will fall apart if efforts are made to change its terms.  The status quo is untenable and must be reformed

We need your support.   Please become a cosponsor of S. 1645 and H.R. 3142 and help us bring them to a favorable vote.  It is fair to both

workers and employers, is consistent with our national security needs, and sensible government policy.   

Thank you.

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