Immigration Subcommittee to Examine Temporary Agricultural Guestworker Program
Washington, D.C. - Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., the Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “From H-2A to a Workable Agricultural Guestworker Program.” This hearing, the second in a series of several hearings on immigration issues, will examine our current temporary agricultural guestworker program and look for ways to create a workable guestworker program. The general consensus among U.S. growers is that the H-2A program is too cumbersome, bureaucratic, expensive, and litigious to use.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) released the following statements in advance of tomorrow’s hearing.
Chairman Goodlatte: “Our temporary agricultural guestworker program needs to be reformed so that it benefits U.S. growers, consumers, and guestworkers. Our laws erect unnecessary hurdles for farmers who put food on America’s tables. Many growers find the current guestworker program so unworkable that they avoid using it altogether. It’s imperative that we have a workable guestworker system so that growers can continue growing our crops without being burdened by excessive red tape.”
Subcommittee Chairman Gowdy: “A safe, reliable food source is vital. Correspondingly an agricultural guestworker program that is easy to navigate and responsive to the needs of our farmers is also vital.”
Witnesses for tomorrow’s hearing include:
Mr. Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation;
Mr. Chalmers Carr, President and CEO, Titan Farms;
Mr. Michael J. Brown, President, National Chicken Council; and
Mr. Giev Kashkooli, Political and Legislative Director, Third Vice-President, United Farm Workers.
All House Judiciary Committee hearings are webcast live at www.judiciary.house.gov. The hearing will take place in 2141 Rayburn. For more information about Tuesday’s hearing, visit /_files/hearings/113th/hear_02262013.html