Speech #1100122751

Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of extending the H2B returning worker program this year. The H2B visa program was created to provide access to nonimmigrant temporary workers for seasonal and peak load needs when no American workers can be found. Foreign workers offer small and seasonal businesses shortterm help and return to their home country at the end of the season. H2B visas are capped at 66.000 visas per year. Even with 66.000 visas a year. it still does not meet the labor needs of seasonal businesses. To help fill these additional needs. Congress established the H2B returning worker program in 2005. This program exempts returning workers who have received an H2B visa in one of the three previous fiscal years from counting against the 66.000 cap. However. this program expired on On September 27. 4 days before the season even started. the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service had already received enough visa petitions to exceed the cap for H2B visas for the first half of fiscal year 2008. The application process for the second half of fiscal year 2008 began on December 3. two days ago. Without extending the returning worker program. its expected that the visas will go quickly. leaving many businesses without the workers they need to fulfill their business needs. This demand highlights the immediate need for Congress to extend the H2B returning worker program to help small and seasonal businesses fill their seasonal labor needs and keep fulltime Americans and their businesses working. These returning workers have provided relief to small businesses throughout the Nation. covering a broad spectrum of industries like landscapers. tourism. seafood processors and carnivals. At this time. I will enter into the RECORD a letter from the H2B Workforce Coalition in support of extending the H2B returning worker program. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE: As representatives of tens of thousands of seasonal employers throughout the country. we urge you to support H.R. 1843. the "Save Our Small and Seasonal Business Act of 2007." This bipartisan bill would simply renew the highly successful relief provision for the H2B visa program that was initially approved by the Senate by 946 In 2005. This provision recognizes the reliability and trustworthiness of past participants in the H2B program by exempting those temporary seasonal workers who have participated fiscal the H2B visa program and have completely followed the law during the past three fiscal years from counting toward the statutory cap. The congressionally mandated 66.000 annual cap on the number of workers allowed to participate in the program that was established In 1990 does not reflect current economic realities or meet the needs of businesses which are seasonal or have peak load needs that rely on these workers. Before employers can hire temporary seasonal workers under the program. they must advertise their job openings. work with local unemployment offices to identify potential American workers and offer the positions to any qualified domestic applicants.