IMMIGRATION REFORM EXPECTED TO BE INCLUDED IN UPCOMING CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA
News Date November 24, 2009
After the White House signaled its willingness to tackle the controversial immigration issue in 2010, Democrats in the House are willing to push comprehensive immigration reform legislation and believe they can pass it without bipartisan support. The effort is led by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), who heads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force.
In 2007, Gutierrez and Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) co-sponsored bipartisan immigration reform legislation that failed to pass. Current discussions however have not included Republican members. Gutierrez plans to introduce his bill on December 15 and is reportedly aiming for 100 co-sponsors.
In the Senate, however, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is working with Senate Republicans to craft a moderate bill that is expected in January. CHC leaders said the Senate is likely to kick off formal debate on the issue with Schumer’s bill, due out in January.
NASDA will be watching both pieces of legislation to see that language beneficial to agriculture is included. NASDA supports the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act (AgJOBS) that was introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA) and Adam Putnam (R-FL) last May and believes it will provide much-needed relief to the nation’s ongoing agriculture labor shortage by reforming the H-2A seasonal worker program and providing farmers with the stable, legal workforce. AgJOBS is a result of many years of negotiation between the agriculture and worker advocate communities and enjoys broad support. (Contact: Amy Mann)