Labor
I believe that during these challenging economic times we need to support those Americans that work hard day in and day out to make ends meet. That is why I support efforts to ensure living wages, adequate health care coverage and safe, secure work places for America’s working families. I also strongly believe that our nation’s labor laws should protect workers from harm and have used my position as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education to advocate for worker protections.
For many years now, I have also sought to highlight the lack of protections for child farm workers. Child agricultural workers are exempted from restrictions that protect children who work in all other occupations. For that reason, I have introduced the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE) in every Congress over the last ten years. The CARE Act seeks to end the double standard that allows an estimated 400,000 farm worker children to work for longer hours and at earlier ages than children in every other industry. I believe we have a moral obligation to correct this glaring inequity.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's Labor Legislation
The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE), H.R. 3564
Addresses the problems associated with 500,000 children employed in agriculture in the U.S. by raising labor standards and protections for farmworker children to the same level set for children in occupations outside of agriculture.
- (June 16, 2011) Actor and Activist Eva Longoria Joins Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard in a Renewed Push to Protect Child Farmworkers in the U.S.
- (June 8, 2011) The American Prospect article "Summer Homework: Plow the Field"
- (April 6, 2011) Washington, D.C. - Advocacy Group Names Congresswoman Roybal-Allard a "Champion for Children"
- (February 16, 2011) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Thanks the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs for Their Advocacy on Behalf of Migrant Farm Workers
- (October 4, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Op-Ed by Rep. Roybal-Allard: We Can and Must Do More to Protect Children Working in Agriculture in the United States
- (September 15, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Joins with Actress Eva Longoria Parker and Film Director U. Roberto Romano to Protect Migrant Farmworker Children in the Fields
- (July 30, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs Thanks the Congresswoman for Her Advocacy on Behalf of Migrant Farmworkers
- (July 23, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Dear Colleague: Dispelling Falsehoods About the CARE Act
- (May 5, 2010) Washington, D.C. - Better Protection for Child Farmworker Called For in Report
- (September 16, 2009) Washington, D.C. - A Panel Discussion with the Labor Secretary and Advocates about the Plight of Farmworker Children
- (September 15, 2009) Washington, D.C. - Bill Introduced to Protect Farmworker Children and Keep Them in School
Click here to view a stop motion animation video about the need for the CARE Act's passage.
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