Farm Workforce Modernization Act Reintroduced Pt 3

Farm Workforce Modernization Act Reintroduced Pt 3

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. Two West Coast Representatives are hoping the second time is a charm for their Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bill focused on bringing much needed upgrades to the H-2A ag workforce visa program.

Representative Dan Newhouse says some updates have been made to the bill that first passed the House in 2019 …

NEWHOUSE … “This bill is a product of, literally decades of discussion, but almost a full year of hard negotiations between ag industry representatives, the labor industry, and the Republicans and Democrats in the House. And, we got it as far as we could get it in this chamber.”

So, once it goes to the Senate, what’s the goal? …

NEWHOUSE … “Is to get it over to them so that we can begin that process of making some of the tweaks and changes that they will inevitably want to do. That chamber’s a whole separate body and they want their finger prints on things, and we’ll be working with them hard to make some of those improvements.”

Newhouse says there are reasons to feel good about it this time around …

NEWHOUSE … “There is a recognition of the urgency of solving the labor problems in this country and I’m feeling, actually, like they’re much more engaged now even than they were after we passed the bill in 2019. So, that’s a good thing.”

Newhouse says there is a group in the Senate that is already engaged.

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