Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act would simply protect our existing farmworkers and perpetuate an enduring farm workforce. It would do that by modernizing and streamlining our H-2A visa system and by allowing those who are willing to come here to stay here if they continue to work here in agriculture.

Now, this bill is a bipartisan bill. It is the right bill because it was a negotiated bill. No, it is not the perfect bill, but it is the necessary bill that was formulated after months and months of difficult talks between Democrats and Republicans and farmers and farmworkers.

Now, during those discussions, unlike what we are hearing today, we put negative politics aside and we focused on the positive policies for the people who are part of the solution to the number one problem for our farmers. We don't have a domestic workforce willing to do ag labor, so farmers are reliant on immigrants to harvest their products.

That is why, if we pass this bill today and the Senate does its job tomorrow, farmers will have a predictable and dependable workforce, farmworkers will get the legality and the dignity that they deserve, and we in Congress will have done our job for our agriculture and for our Nation that both rely on immigrants for our future.

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