Newhouse Continues Fight to Provide Critical Relief for Agriculture Industry, Expands Labor Access

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced an amendment with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) to the Fiscal Year 2023 Homeland Security Appropriations Act to allow the H-2A temporary agriculture guestworker program to be accessed year-round for Fiscal Year 2023, opening the program to producers in all sectors of agriculture, including dairy, greenhouses, and other agricultural operations with year-round labor needs. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

“Our farmers and ranchers are in desperate need of a legal and reliable workforce, especially given all of the other burdens facing our agriculture industry due to the Biden Administration’s poor policy decisions,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Unfortunately, the H-2A program does not work for all of agriculture. As farming methods have become less seasonal or able to produce multiple harvests, the H-2A program must be updated to meet the needs of the agriculture industry. This amendment supports legal immigration while making H-2A more workable for our nation’s farmers until the Senate can take up my legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, and finally provide a lasting solution to our labor crisis.”

Watch Rep. Newhouse’s Remarks on H-2A Amendment

Click here to read the full text of the amendment.

Background:

Rep. Newhouse and Rep. Cuellar’s amendment clarifies that for FY2023 all of agriculture may use the H-2A program. Under the amendment, H-2A would still remain a temporary guestworker program. Additionally, the amendment would not change the time limits a worker employed through the H-2A program can stay in the U.S., and it would maintain the requirement that farmers advertise open positions and are trying to hire American workers first.  The agriculture industry’s labor situation has been a concern for many years, and currently large segments of American agriculture face a critical shortage of workers. This shortfall is exacerbated by the fact that the H-2A program is not working for all of agriculture, such as dairies and agriculture operations with multiple crops and harvests. 

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