Bend, OR – Senator Merkley was in Bend today to release a new report that reveals the extent to which federal funds have been used to employ foreign workers on Central Oregon forest projects. More than 50 percent of the Central Oregon forest health projects funded in 2010 utilized foreign workers.
“Spending tax dollars to hire foreign timber workers is a fiasco and it needs to end,” said Merkley. “We must close the loopholes that allow this practice to happen. The Forest Service must require Oregon’s forest contractors to hire Oregonians.”
The Senator was joined today by a local company that has been undercut by contractors who have used foreign workers.
Senator Merkley has introduced the American Jobs in American Forests Act to curb the abuse of the H-2B program and make sure that if American workers are available, American workers are hired.
You can find the full report here.
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