Two Vermonters have been invited to testify in Washington on a newly introduced immigration reform bill.
Alyson Eastman of Orwell and Meghan Smith, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, will testify Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Eastman will talk about the role of foreign farm workers in Vermont agriculture. Smith will discuss the need for seasonal workers in the state's travel, ski and tourism industries.
Leahy invited them to testify.
The hearing starts at 10 a.m. and will be webcast live.
The legislation would create new visa programs for low- and high-skilled workers, require a tough new focus on border security and install a path to citizenship for 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.
