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Senate

Introductory Statement on S. 5301

2026-08-06 Issue 129 Showing 1–1 of 1

Official Congressional Record ↗

Alex Padilla

Democrat

“I want the government to spend more money on a position called Farmworker Coordinator. This person should talk to farm workers and the Department of Agriculture. Now is the time to spend money on this. I want to create new programs and initiatives. Farm workers are important. We need to listen to them.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the Voice for Farm Workers Act, which I introduced today. Our Nation's farmworkers are the backbone of the U.S. food supply chain. In the 2008 farm bill, Congress created the Farmworker Coordinator position: one person statutorily dedicated to serving as a liaison between the more than 2 million farm workers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Unfortunately, Congress has never provided the resources necessary to support a position of this magnitude. The time to fix this injustice is now. The 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Interim Report included a strong recommendation for the USDA to fund and elevate roles for professional staff solely dedicated to farm workers' concerns and perspectives. That is why I am introducing this bill to expand and strengthen the Coordinator position to carry out the responsibilities necessary to better meet the needs of our farmworkers. This bill would also support increased collaboration within the Department, with farmworkers, and with relevant stakeholders to create recommendations for new initiatives and programs to support farmworkers. As we negotiate a new farm bill, I urge my colleagues to prioritize and support the workers that ensure our families and loved ones remain fed and healthy. Farmworkers' voices must be and deserve to be heard.

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