FW: AgJOBS: 55th Cosponsor

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

Here is an update from Bruce Goldstein of the FJF on the status of the

AgJOBS bill and a call for support.

Lighthall, Ph.D.

Research Director

Relational Culture Institute

3485 W. Shaw, Suite 103

Fresno, CA 93711

530 304-0038 mobile

559 276-2304 office

559 276-2304 fax

david@...

-----Original Message-----

From: Bruce Goldstein [mailto:bgoldstein@...]

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 7:23 AM

agjobs@...

Subject: AgJOBS: 55th Cosponsor

AgJOBS update from the Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc. (www.fwjustice.org)

April 20

The Week of Action on AgJOBS during March 22 created important momentum.

More cosponsors needed. We can do it. Dozens of Congressional offices

were visited. At the same time as the Call to Action, supporters of

employment and training programs for farmworkers were in town, organized

by the Association of Farmworker Oppportunity Programs (AFOP). The

combination resulted in delivery of AgJOBS information to about 200

Congressional offices.

Arturo , President of the United Farm Workers, had a productive

meeting with Alberto , counselor to the President. The

importance of AgJOBS also was communicated to Congress through a press

conference held on March 23 by Republicans and Democrats and the United

Farm Workers, the National Council of La Raza, the National Council of

Agricultural Employers, the American Nursery and Landscape Association

and others.

Status in Senate: *** AgJOBS now has 58 cosponsors in the Senate,

including the chief sponsor, Sen. Larry Craig (R.-Idaho). The coalition

supporting AgJOBS is working on gaining two more Senators to meet the

goal of 60 cosponsors. We are especially hopeful that the two additional

cosponsors would be Republicans to maintain the bipartisan balance

needed to pass the bill. Some of the possible cosponsors include

Senators Santorum (R.-Pa.), Murkowski (R.-Alaska), s (R.-Alaska),

(R.-Maine), Dayton (D.-Minn.), Dorgan (D.-N.Dak), Conrad

(D-N.Dak.), Mikulski (D.-Md.), Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.), Landrieu

(D.-La.), Bill (D.-Fla.). Please contact these members if you are

in those states and ask them to cosponsor AgJOBS (S.1645). We want to

achieve this goal by April 23, the eleventh anniversary of the passing

of Cesar Chavez.

Behind the scenes, there are discussions among Senators about the exact

process for moving AgJOBS (S.1645) forward in the Senate. There are

questions about what that " legislative vehicle " would be. The presence

of 60 cosponsors would assure Sen. Frist, the Majority Leader, that

there is no potential filibuster (because our side would have the 60

votes that are needed to win a motion to close debate to stop a

filibuster from continuing).

Status in House: In the House, AgJOBS (HR 3142) now has 104 cosponsors.

Advocates have been mostly focused on the Senate but now are

increasingly turning to the House. Although the immigration committee

chair, Rep. Hostettler (R.-Ind.) and the Judiciary Committee chair,

Sensenbrenner

(R.-Wisc.) are vigorously anti-immigrant and anti-AgJOBS, the

anti-immigrant wing remains a minority in Congress. They can be overcome

with the help of a strong vote in the Senate.

White House: The White House officials who deal with these immigration

issues are divided and President Bush has not taken a stand on AgJOBS.

Some people say that the President's immigration proposal means AgJOBS

is " dead " but others say that AgJOBS is consistent with the principles

in the President's proposal. According to Sen. Larry Craig, an

influential Republican, he has spoken with the White House and he said

publicly at the March 23 press conference, that he believes the

President would sign the bill if it were passed.

Next Steps: The task now is to gain more cosponsors very, very quickly.

Time is running out. To find out if your members of Congress are

cosponsors, go to http://thomas.loc.gov, and where it asks for a bill

number, type in HR3142 or S1645 and go to " summary " and then to " bill

sponsors. " You can also go to our website www.fwjustice.org and look at

" legislative developments. "

And last but certainly not least: Thanks to all those who helped on the

Week of Action, including UFW, PCUN, CITA, National Farm Worker

Ministry, friends from law offices and public interest groups around the

country, AFOPand many others.

" Si se puede " has real meaning. Keep up the good work and we can win

this.

Bruce Goldstein

Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc.

1010 Vermont Ave., Suite 915

Washington, D.C. 20005

(202) 783-2628 www.fwjustice.org

Support the 5th annual Farmworker Justice Award, May 4, 2004,

Washington, D.C.