Extensions of Remarks E125 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS
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February 11, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E125 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ANATOLY KORNUKOV opened their doors, there have been tremen- ChinaÐas virtual sweatshops.'' Because this dous changes in the lives of many children. is a U.S. territory, $810 million worth of gar- HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON Originally, GENESIS, INC. opened one resi- ments manufactured under these conditions in OF NEW YORK dential group home in Fresno to serve female 1997 entered the U.S. dutyÐ and quota-free adolescents who were predominately Hispanic and allowed to bear the ``Made in USA'' label. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and under-served. The number of group One Chinese woman describes restrictive Wednesday, February 11, 1998 homes has grown to six with over forty-two cli- labor practices that include being forbidden Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, something ents in placement. GENESIS also established from attending church. Another tells of working very outrageous has just happened in Russia three community schools to assist with their seven days a week and only occasionally get- that should be an affront to all Americans. educational needs and goals. GENESIS has ting a half-day off on Sundays. Human rights As we all remember, on September 1, 1983, been committed to providing job opportunities advocates say ``many guest workers endure the Soviet Union shot down a civilian jetliner, to Valley residents and has prided itself on the unpaid work, forced overtime, withheld wages Korean Airlines flight 007. ability to provide quality employment for both and unsafe workplaces.'' Well Mr. Speaker, the very general who men and women of diverse culture and back- Many foreign workers live in ``squalid shacks gave the order to murder those civilians, in- grounds. Furthermore, GENESIS has provided without running water, sufficient toilets or prop- cluding our friend and colleague Congressman a learning environment for university interns er ventilation'' but ``are too deep in debt back Larry McDonald, has just been appointed by and volunteers who receive valuable on-the- home to risk getting fired'' by speaking out President Yeltsin as the new Chief of Staff of job training and experience under the super- about unfair treatment, poor working condi- the Russian Air Force. vision of highly skilled professionals. tions, or improper wages. Indeed, many of And do you know what? This general, The California State Chamber of Commerce these workers have sold their family's land, Anatoly Kornukov, still doesn't regret that he recognizes one top female owned business on their homes, and have borrowed the money from loan sharks to pay recruiters who have gave the order. He still maintains the Soviet an annual basis. On September 19, 1997 promised them good, high-paying jobs in fiction that KAL 007 was on a spy mission. Genesis incorporated received this award America. The workers must repay these loans That's right, 61¤2 years after Boris Yeltsin under the criteria of success and contributions or risk harm to themselves and their families. stood on that tank, and led the dissolution of to the community. Genesis was chosen As the article attests, the CNMI is hardly a among 30 other nominations from around the the Soviet empire, old Communist thinking not good example of a situation we in Congress state of California. only persists in Russia, it is in fact prevalent would want to emulate in our hoe States. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I pay and is being rewarded by Boris Yeltsin. Rather, it is an example of what can go hor- And 6 years after we put Russia on the for- tribute to Elaine (De La Torre) Bernard and ribly wrong when a U.S. territory government eign aid dole, to the tune of over $50 billion Carol De La Torre of Genesis, Inc. for over 10 develops an economy based heavily on the from American and Western taxpayers, this is years of outstanding community service. It is importation of cheap, alien, indentured work- the thanks we get. the leadership and care exhibited by these two ers, who are granted no stake in society, and It is time for this administration to put their sisters that warrant this recognition. I ask my who are denied adequate labor protections by foot down and demand the removal of this kill- colleagues to join me in wishing Elaine (De La the local government. er, otherwise there will be no more foreign aid Torre) Bernard and Carol De La Torre many Congress can, and should, take action to to Russia. more years of success. correct this situation. I have introduced legisla- f f tion, HR 1450Ðthe ``Insular Fair Wage and CONGRATULATIONS TO ELAINE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER EX- Human Rights Act'' that would place the CNMI (DE LA TORRE) BERNARD AND POSES LABOR ABUSES ON U.S. immigration system under federal law, bringing CAROL DE LA TORRE OF GEN- SOIL the CNMI into conformity with every other U.S. territory. Further, this legislation will incremen- ESIS, INC. tally increase the local minimum wage until it HON. GEORGE MILLER reaches the federal level, and provide that HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH OF CALIFORNIA garments only be allowed to bear the ``Made OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES in USA'' label if all federal laws were adhered IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, February 11, 1998 to in the manufacture of the garment. [From the Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 8, 1998] Wednesday, February 11, 1998 Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, the Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise following article appeared in the February 9, YOUR PRICEY CLOTHING IS THEIR LOW-PAY WORK today to congratulate Elaine (De La Torre) 1998 Philadelphia Inquirer and describes the (By Jennifer Lin) Bernard and Carol De La Torre of GENESIS, living and working conditions in the U.S. Com- SAIPAN, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLAND.Ð The Inc. for being recognized Business Women of monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands rest of America may worry about losing jobs the Year by the Central California Hispanic (CNMI). This article, ``Your Pricey Clothing is to Asia, but this lush island in the far west- Chamber of Commerce, and Top Female Their Low-Pay'' offers additional examples of ern Pacific has created an outpost of Asia Owned Business by the California State the alarming conditions under which many right on American soil. Chamber of Commerce. As sisters and own- workers in this U.S. territory toil. Pacific Rim investorsÐprimarily overseas ers of Genesis, Elaine and Carol have made Every independent reporter who has trav- Chinese and KoreansÐhave flocked to this countless contributions to the community and eled to the CNMI to investigate the working U.S. territory, building a profitable world- class garment industry. They hire workers are very deserving of recognition. and living conditions of the tens of thousands from China. They import fabric, buttons and For the past 10 years, Elaine Bernard and of imported foreign workers thereÐwhose zippers from China. And in many cases, they Carol De La Torre have dedicated their lives population outnumbers that of the U.S. citi- run their factories just as they would in to Genesis, Inc., a non-profit organization that zensÐhas reached the same alarming conclu- ChinaÐas virtual sweatshopsÐignoring U.S. provides residential treatment, foster care and sion: U.S. laws designed to protect workers on laws designed to protect workers. supportive family services to children who U.S. soil are not being adequately applied or Even so, the factories can sew ``Made in have been sexually, physically and/or emotion- enforced. Instead, this part of America has be- the U.S.A.'' onto clothing, skirt U.S. duties and quotas, and pay their workers far less ally abused, neglected or abandoned. The come an outpost for foreign investors, the con- than the U.S. minimum wage. Attempts to Genesis goal is to serve in the Fresno county struction, tourism and garment industries rescind those privileges have been opposed area and community by providing interventions being the major suppliers of foreign workers. by several American lawmakers, some of and building blocks for area youth and fami- In the CNMI, Chinese labor bosses are able to whom have taken trips to Saipan paid for by lies. From the moment Genesis group homes ``run their factories just as they would in the island government. · This ``bullet'' symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. E126 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks February 11, 1998 The coveted ``Made in the U.S.A.'' label is The islands' garment wages are far higher In a letter to officials in Saipan in June, like a seal of approval for clothing-makers, than the 20 to 50 cents per hour paid in the DeLay and House Majority Leader Dick implying that products are untainted by world's lowest-paying countries. But the ex- Armey (R., Texas) said any legislation that labor abuses the American buying public as- emptions from U.S. standardsÐand the di- would harm the islands' economy runs sociates with garments made in Asian sweat- rect pipeline to the U.S. retail marketÐmore counter to the ``principles of the Republican shops. But it has lost much of its meaning in than compensate. The transplanted Asian Party.'' Adam Turner, a spokesman for Juan Saipan. garment industry here is growing at a rate of N. Babauta, the Marianas' representative in Such companies as J.C. Penney, Ralph 45 percent a year, according to the U.S.