Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard Thanks the Association of Farm worker Opportunity Programs for their Advocacy on Behalf of Migrant Farm Workers
Washington,
Feb 16, 2011 -
At a Capitol Hill reception, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) thanked members of the Association of Farm worker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) for their steadfast advocacy on behalf of seasonal and migrant farm workers.
The congresswoman commended the members for their advocacy in support of "The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment" (CARE), which she authored to ensure adequate labor protections for children working in our nation’s agricultural fields.
Pictured in the group photo from left to right: David Strauss, Executive Director of AFOP; Congresswoman Roybal-Allard: and Ernie Flores, President of AFOP and Executive Director of Central Valley Opportunity Center.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard made the following remarks:
“Good evening and welcome to our nation’s capitol.
Thank you, Ernie, for your kind introduction and for your leadership as President of AFOP and for your work at the Central Valley Opportunity Center in my home state of California.
I also extend a sincere thank you to each one of you for your work and dedication to serving some of the most vulnerable members of our society …our nation’s farm workers.
You are to be commended, for even during these difficult economic times, your organizations continue placing thousand of migrant and seasonal farm workers into good paying jobs with benefits
This is one example of your commitment to helping our nation’s farm workers achieve a better quality of life and it is why the National Farm worker Jobs Program is one of the Department of Labor’s most effective programs.
Through your hard work, you give our nation’s farm workers a sense of value and hope for a better future.
That is why, as a member of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I am committed to providing robust funding for the National Farmworker Jobs Program.
I am heartened that this important program was spared from the worst of the Republicans’ proposed budget cuts and that the President’s budget included an increase in funding for the program.
After fighting year after year to protect the National Farmworker Jobs Program from elimination, it is such a relief that there is finally recognition that this program not only supports our farmworkers, but strengthens our economy and our communities as well.
Nevertheless, we still have a way to go to ensure our farmworkers work in a safe environment with good pay, benefits and decent living conditions.
That is most certainly true of our children working in agriculture. That is why I continue to introduce the CARE Act which will raise labor standards and protections for farm worker children to the same level as children in all other occupations.
It is unbelievable to me that 10 years have passed since I introduced the CARE Act and that, in spite of your hard work and advocacy to eliminate the exploitation of these children, we have been unable to pass the Care Act.
As a result, our farm worker youth continue to earn sub-minimum wages, use hazardous farm equipment and be exposed to poisonous pesticides that can lead to serious injury and even death.
The good news is that in the 111th Congress we did make progress and for the
first time we collected more than 100 cosponsors for the bill.
And I take this opportunity to thank AFOP and all of you for making this possible.
Building on this milestone your continued advocacy and support will be the key to our future success because like you I am not giving up!
I will be reintroducing the CARE Act in the next few weeks and can think of no better group than you to deliver the message to my congressional colleagues of the critical need of passing this bill to end the exploitation of these children.
Your personal and front line experiences will put a face to the serious and compelling facts about the dangerous conditions our children in agriculture face every day of their lives.
With our continued perseverance, I know we will succeed and I look forward to working with you until every child and every family in agriculture is provided with the fundamental protections they so desperately need and deserve.
Thank you again for inviting me and I wish you the best as you continue your efforts on behalf of our nation’s farm workers.”
###
