Lori Chavez-DeRemer | Lori Chavez-DeRemer Official Website
Lori Chavez-DeRemer | Lori Chavez-DeRemer Official Website
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) has signed onto H.R. 2915, the bipartisan Farm Workforce Support Act, as a cosponsor. The legislation, which is being led by Reps. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to analyze deficiencies of the H-2A visa program and provide a report to Congress – beginning to pave the way for H-2A visa reform that works for Oregon farmers and ranchers.
“During my Farm Bill listening sessions and in my conversations with farmers and ranchers, I’ve frequently heard that labor shortages are making it difficult for these businesses to operate efficiently. We must ensure the H-2A program is effective for both the workers and employers who produce the food needed to feed the world. That’s why I’m proud to support the bipartisan Farm Workforce Support Act, which will help my colleagues and I better understand the program’s deficiencies so we can take a more targeted approach to reform,” Chavez-DeRemer said.
Specifically, the Farm Workforce Support Act would:
- Analyze the impact the H-2A program has had in recent years on hiring habits by U.S. employers;
- Identify any issues in securing adequate housing for guestworkers;
- Analyze implications of wage-rate requirements on U.S. employers’ ability to hire workers;
- Analyze the economic impact of wages lost from spouses and unmarried adult children of visa recipients being unable to work; and
- Examine employer compliance with working condition guarantees in guestworker contracts.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
Chavez-DeRemer was recently selected to be a member of the Agriculture Committee’s bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, which will focus on workforce issues facing the nation's agricultural producers. The working group will seek input from stakeholders, employers, and workers, particularly emphasizing the H-2A visa program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers; produce an interim report detailing the program's shortcomings and the impacts on food security; and file a final report with recommendations to address the flaws within the program. The final report of the working group will provide potential solutions that can inform and be utilized in subsequent legislative efforts.
Original source can be found here.
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