01/12/07 AgJOBS reintroduced

Washington Ag January 12, 2006 Legislation that would provide for a more stable, secure, safe and legal American agricultural work force has been introduced in the new Congress. It's really the reintroduction of Idaho Senator Larry Craig's AgJOBS bill, which has bipartisan support. Mike Gempler, of the Washington Growers League, who spoke at the Pasco Ag Show this week, says they are charged up about the amount of energy the politicians are putting into immigration this early. Gempler: "So what is going to happen is that it is likely that the AgJOBS bill, which is the very same language we have had the past few years with this bill, that that will be included as part of a comprehensive bill. And if the comprehensive bill passes in 07 then AgJOBS will be part of it." If a comprehensive immigration bill does not pass, for whatever reason, Gempler says the intention is to pull AgJOBS out and try and pass it by itself. Gempler: "And there is a lot of support for doing that." For the short term AgJOBS would, on a one-time basis only, allow experienced, trusted workers with a significant work history in American agriculture to stay here legally and earn adjustment to legal status. For the longer term it would overhaul the H-2A guest worker program. I'm Bob Hoff.