Farm Workforce Modernization Act Reintroduced Pt 1
I’m Bob Larson. A proposal that has met with approval in the House of Representatives once before, aimed at making meaningful reforms to the H-2A ag guestworker program, is back.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Sunnyside Republican Dan Newhouse, made the announcement last week …
NEWHOUSE … “We reintroduced our Farm Workforce Modernization Act which is something that, as you know, has been subjected of a lot of work and conversation and effort to try and get much needed and overdo reform to our ag labor laws in this country.”
Newhouse says they’ll try and push it along quickly …
NEWHOUSE … “My anticipation is that we will likely consider that on the floor of the House sometime in the next two to three weeks and get it over to the Senate before the first of April.”
The reintroduced bill looks very similar to the original …
NEWHOUSE … “It’s essentially the same bill that passed in 2019 with bipartisan support. You’re right about that. We did have to make some updates to reflect the pandemic for one.”
Those pandemic provisions, Newhouse says gives it some flexibility …
NEWHOUSE … “And if the pandemic prevented people from being able to fulfill all of those requirements, there’s some leeway given there.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
