ISSUE 1094
As of Rap-Up deadline, the U.S. House of Representatives had taken no definitive action on the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437) introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Passed by the House Judiciary Committee earlier, the bill includes provisions for mandatory electronic verification for new and existing employees and higher employer penalties, but contains no language establishing a guest worker program. FFVA had faxed letters to lawmakers Tuesday (December 13) stressing the importance of guest workers to the Florida agriculture industry. In part, the letter read, "This bill only increases immigration enforcement by placing additional resources along the border to stop illegal entry and by placing additional burdens on employers to ensure their workforce is legally able to work in the U.S." The letter continued, "Because of the very serious consequences this bill will have upon our industry, we ask that you vote against its passage unless it also includes a workable and affordable guest worker program that is conditioned toward the unique needs of agriculture." The Senate is expected to add guestworker language in its version of the legislation.
ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S RAP-UP (Members-Only articles are indicated in bold.) | |
