Action Request
We need "yes" votes on HJM 4017
Please contact your Washington State legislator and ask him/her to vote "yes" on House Joint Memorial 4017 (HJM 4017).
HJM 4017 is a resolution that asks the US Congress to pass the AgJOBS bill. Agriculture needs an immigration reform bill that will actually help us passed, and Congress needs some pressure and
encouragement to get the job done. This Joint Memorial from the Washington State Legislature would do that. (See the resolution text below.)
AgJOBS is the bill that we have negotiated and that has bi-partisan support in Congress. Without this bill it is possible that agriculture will be forgotten in the immigration reform effort which is slated to begin this year.
The US Department of Homeland Security has announced 1,652 I-9 audits nationwide since July 2009. More are on the way. Agriculture needs legislation to help us have a stable and legal
workforce.
PLEASE contact your state legislator today!
H-2820.1
HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4017
State of Washington 61st Legislature 2009 Regular Session
By Representatives Chandler, Conway, Cox, Warnick, Bailey, Kenney, Johnson, and Ross
Read first time 03/30/09. Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.
1 TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND
2 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF
3 REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
5 We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
6 the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
7 represent and petition as follows:
8 WHEREAS, Agriculture is a cornerstone of Washington's economy and
9 farm workers are an essential part of Washington's agricultural
10 industry; and
11 WHEREAS, Agriculture created over eight billion dollars in on-farm
12 production value and employed over a hundred thousand workers in 2007;
13 and
14 WHEREAS, Large sectors of Washington agriculture are labor-
15 intensive and rely on seasonal and immigrant workers to perform vital
16 labor; and
17 WHEREAS, The Washington agricultural industry requires access to a
18 legal and stable workforce, and Washington farm workers require legal
19 and stable employment; and
p. 1 HJM 4017
1 WHEREAS, Immigration reform is required to protect the viability of
2 Washington's agricultural industry and thousands of immigrant farm
3 workers who feed our nation and contribute to Washington's economy; and
4 WHEREAS, There is an urgent need for immigration reform as proposed
5 in the federal Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security
6 (AgJOBS) Act that would: Provide temporary legal status for qualifying
7 farm workers, with the possibility of becoming permanent residents of
8 the United States by continuing to work in agriculture and meeting
9 other requirements; and reform the H-2A temporary visa program in a way
10 that makes it useable for employers and protective of United States and
11 foreign workers;
12 NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United
13 States Congress enact the AgJOBS legislation to address the need for
14 immigration reform to protect the agricultural industry and farm
15 workers.
16 BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately
17 transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United
18 States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the
19 House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of
20 Washington.
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HJM 4017
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