Farm Operations Support Act

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

Client expense: $60,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A and H-2B Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; (S. 874/H. R. 3308) Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25;/H.J.Res.59; (H.R. 2) Secure the Border Act of 2023; (H. R. 4319) Farm Workforce Modernization Act; (H. R. 4708) HIRE ACT; (S.3848/ H.R. 7046) Supporting Farm Operations Act; (S. 4056) Affordable and Secure Food Act; House Agriculture Committee Agricultural Labor Working Group; FY 2025 Appropriations related to agricultural labor; HJ Res 134 and HJ Res 135

Client expense: $283,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 1325/S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1778, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2393, Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 2827/S. 1301, Partner with Korea Act H.R. 2915, Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023 H.R. 3308/S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 H.R. 3911, Ukrainian Adjustment Act of 2023 H.R. 4048, Venezuelan Adjustment Act H.R. 4319, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023 H.R. 4358, PHDs First Act H.R. 4448, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 4627/S. 2327, Afghan Adjustment Act H.R. 4647, High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act H.R. 4665/S. 2438, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, H.R. 4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act H.R. 4942/S. 665, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 5127, Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act H.R. 5155, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 5477/S. 2384, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 H.R. 5990, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 6542, Immigration Visa Efficiency and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 7046/S. 3848, Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024 H.R. 7574, Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 H.R. 8392, To Add Ireland to the E-3 Nonimmigrant Visa Program H.R. 8752, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 8771/S. 4797, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9029/S. 4942, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 9747, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 243, A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1727, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes S. 2278, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 S. 2324, Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act S. 2606, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 S. 2632, Visa Processing Improvement Act S. 2705, State Executive Authority for Seasonal Occupations Needing Additional Labor (SEASONAL) Act S. 2719, Directing Our Countrys Transfer Of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act S. 2785, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023 S. 3013, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas S. 3187, Southern Border Transparency Act of 2023 S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act S. 3255, Temporary Family Visitation Act S. 3291, EAGLE Act of 2023 S. 4069, Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2024 S. 4361, The Border Act of 2024 S. 4591, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas S.4638, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 S. 4888, A bill to include Czechia in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E-1 nonimmigrants if United States nationals are treated similarly by the Government of Czechia H.Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2B Visa Program and cap relief; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 Programs; Bridge USA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; State Department policies extending consular interview waiver eligibility for various classifications of nonimmigrants; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan nationals; expanding the eligibility for stateside renewal of work visas; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad; reforms to the use of parole authority; extending the validity period for employment authorization documents; reforms to the State Departments Visa Bulletin; implementation of the new optional I-9 document verification procedures; expanded mandatory detention of unauthorized aliens in the U.S.; expansion of expulsion/removal authorities; changes to the legal standard for credible fear interviews for asylum applicants; modifying asylum eligibility requirements; expanding availability of special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals; providing additional visas for foreign nationals to work in the U.S. on Defense Department Projects (FORTRESS Act Amendment); reforms to the adjudication process for inadmissibility waivers; regulatory proposals that change how the H-2A program will be administered; proposals that will adjust what types of foreign nationals are eligible for obtaining employment authorization and advance parole documents; expanding E visa eligibility; expanding and updating the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skill List

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A and H-2B Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; (S. 874/H. R. 3308) Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25;/H.J.Res.59; (H.R. 2) Secure the Border Act of 2023; (H. R. 4319) Farm Workforce Modernization Act; (H. R. 4708) HIRE ACT; (S.3848/ H.R. 7046) Supporting Farm Operations Act; (S. 4056) Affordable and Secure Food Act; House Agriculture Committee Agricultural Labor Working Group; FY 2025 Appropriations related to agricultural labor; HJ Res 134 and HJ Res 135

Client expense: $275,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 29, Border Safety and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 163, Security First Act H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 489, Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 672, Border Security Investment Act H.R. 815, National Security Act of 2024 H.R. 1325/S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 H.R. 1511, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1778, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2393, Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 2827/S. 1301, Partner with Korea Act H.R. 2882, Making Further Consolidated Appropriations for FY24 H.R. 2915, Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023 H.R. 3308/S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 H.R. 3911, Ukrainian Adjustment Act of 2023 H.R. 4048, Venezuelan Adjustment Act H.R. 4319, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023 H.R. 4358, PHDs First Act H.R. 4367/S. 2625, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 H.R. 4448, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 4627/S. 2327, Afghan Adjustment Act H.R. 4647, High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act H.R. 4665/S. 2438, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, H.R. 4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act H.R. 4942/S. 665, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 5127, Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act H.R. 5155, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 5477/S. 2384, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 H.R. 5894/S. 2624, Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes. H.R. 5990, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 6363, Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 H.R. 6542, Immigration Visa Efficiency and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 6904, Support Our Afghan Partners Act of 2023 H.R. 7046/S. 3848, Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024 H.R. 7262, Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 H.R. 7574, Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 H.R. 8392, To Add Ireland to the E-3 Nonimmigrant Visa Program H.R. 8752, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025 H.R. 8771, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2025 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 207, Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act S. 243, A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 425, Secure and Protect Act of 2023 S. 505, Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1727, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 1786, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes S. 2278, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 S. 2324, Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act S. 2606, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 S. 2632, Visa Processing Improvement Act S. 2705, State Executive Authority for Seasonal Occupations Needing Additional Labor (SEASONAL) Act S. 2719, Directing Our Countrys Transfer Of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act S. 2785, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023 S. 3013, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas S. 3187, Southern Border Transparency Act of 2023 S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act S. 3255, Temporary Family Visitation Act S. 3291, EAGLE Act of 2023 S. 4069, Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2024 S. 4361, The Border Act of 2024 S. 4591, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas H.J.Res 59/S.J.Res. 25, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States" H.Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Notice, U.S. Department of State; Pilot Program to Resume Renewal of H-1B Nonimmigrant Visas in the United States for Certain Qualified Noncitizens (88 Fed. Reg. 88,467-88,470, December 21, 2023) Request for Information, Employment Training Administration, Department of Labor; Labor Certification for Permanent Employment of Foreign Workers in the United States; Modernizing Schedule A To Include Consideration of Additional Occupations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Non-STEM Occupations (88 Fed. Reg. 88,290-88,295, December 21, 2023) Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2B Visa Program and cap relief; H-2A Visa Program H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 Programs; Bridge USA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; State Department policies extending consular interview waiver eligibility for various classifications of nonimmigrants; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan nationals; expanding the eligibility for stateside renewal of work visas; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad; reforms to the use of parole authority; extending the validity period for employment authorization documents; reforms to the State Departments Visa Bulletin; implementation of the new optional I-9 document verification procedures; expanded mandatory detention of unauthorized aliens in the U.S.; expansion of expulsion/removal authorities; changes to the legal standard for credible fear interviews for asylum applicants; modifying asylum eligibility requirements; expanding availability of special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals; providing additional visas for foreign nationals to work in the U.S. on Defense Department Projects (FORTRESS Act Amendment); reforms to the adjudication process for inadmissibility waivers; regulatory proposals that change how the H-2A program will be administered; proposals that will adjust what types of foreign nationals are eligible for obtaining employment authorization and advance parole documents; expanding E visa eligibility

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A and H-2B Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; (S. 874/H. R. 3308) Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25;/H.J.Res.59; (H.R. 2) Secure the Border Act of 2023; (H. R. 4319) Farm Workforce Modernization Act; (H. R. 4708) HIRE ACT; (S.3848/ H.R. 7046) Supporting Farm Operations Act; (S. 4056) Affordable and Secure Food Act; House Agriculture Committee Agricultural Labor Working Group

Client expense: $185,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 29, Border Safety and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 163, Security First Act H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 489, Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 672, Border Security Investment Act H.R. 815, Removing Extraneous Loopholes Insuring Every Veteran Emergency (RELIEVE) Act H.R. 1325/S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 H.R. 1511, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1778, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2393, Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 2827/S. 1301, Partner with Korea Act H.R. 2882, Making Further Consolidated Appropriations for FY24 H.R. 2915, Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023 H.R. 3308/S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 H.R. 3911, Ukrainian Adjustment Act of 2023 H.R. 4048, Venezuelan Adjustment Act H.R. 4319, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023 H.R. 4358, PHDs First Act H.R. 4367/S. 2625, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 H.R. 4448, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 4627/S. 2327, Afghan Adjustment Act H.R. 4647, High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act H.R. 4665/S. 2438, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, H.R. 4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act H.R. 4942 S. 665/, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 5127, Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act H.R. 5155, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 5477/S. 2384, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 H.R. 5894/S. 2624, Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes. H.R. 5990, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 6363, Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 H.R. 6542, Immigration Visa Efficiency and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 6904, Support Our Afghan Partners Act of 2023 H.R. 7046/S. 3848, Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024 H.R. 7262, Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 H.R. 7574, Closing the Workforce Gap Act of 2024 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 207, Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act S. 243, A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 425, Secure and Protect Act of 2023 S. 505, Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1727, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 1786, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes S. 2278, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 S. 2324, Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act S. 2606, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 S. 2632, Visa Processing Improvement Act S. 2705, State Executive Authority for Seasonal Occupations Needing Additional Labor (SEASONAL) Act S. 2719, Directing Our Countrys Transfer Of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act S. 2785, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023 S. 3013, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas S. 3187, Southern Border Transparency Act of 2023 S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act S. 3255, Temporary Family Visitation Act S. 3291, EAGLE Act of 2023 H.J. Res 59/S. J. Res. 25, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States" H. Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 Bridge USA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY24 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, (P.L. 117-103), Division BB; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility for various classifications of nonimmigrants; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan nationals; reinstitution of stateside visa revalidation services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad; reforms to the use of parole authority; extending the validity period for employment authorization documents; instituting a second FY24 H-1B lottery to insure usage of all cap-subject H-1B visas; reforms to the State Departments Visa Bulletin; implementation of the new optional I-9 document verification procedures; expanded mandatory detention of unauthorized aliens in the U.S.; expansion of expulsion/removal authorities; changes to the legal standard for credible fear interviews for asylum applicants; modifying asylum eligibility requirements; expanding availability of special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals

ASKED TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING: S.874/H.R.3308, the Farm Operations Support Act, which would freeze the 2023 AEWR until 2025 and revert it to January 2023 levels. ASKED TO OPPOSE THE FOLLOWING: DOL's March 2023 AEWR calculation/methodology rule (Docket #: ETA-2021-0006), which would increase H-2A employers' cost even more by changing the methodology for how the AEWR is calculated. OTHER: - Advocated to get PA House Members signed onto Representative Bill Huizenga's letter to Appropriations asking for a multi-year freeze of the AEWR. - Advocated to get PA Senate Members signed onto Senator Tuberville's letter asking to freeze the AEWR. - Advocated to get PA Senate Members signed onto Senator Crapo's letter asking to freeze the AEWR and to be an original co-sponsor of Senator Tillis' Supporting Farm Operations Act. - Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns with OSHA's advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding heat illness (Docket #:OSHA-2021-0009-0001). This would protect indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat, and obtain additional information about the extent and nature of hazardous heat in the workplace and the nature and effectiveness of interventions and controls used to prevent heat-related injury and illness. However, the provisions would be extremely difficult for agricultural employers to comply with because the temperature for when the proposed rule kicks in would be 85 degrees. Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns of DOL's Notice of Proposed Rule Making entitled Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States (Docket #: ETA-2023-0003). Had conversations with Chairman Thompson's staff about the goals of the House Ag Farm Labor Working Group.

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; S. 874 - Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States; H.J.Res.59 Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States"; H.R.3308 Farm Operations Support Act; H.R.2 Secure the Border Act of 2023; H.R.4319 Farm Workforce Modernization Act; H.R.4708 HIRE ACT

Client expense: $185,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 29, Border Safety and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 163, Security First Act H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 489, Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 672, Border Security Investment Act H.R. 815, Removing Extraneous Loopholes Insuring Every Veteran Emergency (RELIEVE) Act H.R. 1325/S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 H.R. 1511, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1778, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2393, Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 2827/S. 1301, Partner with Korea Act H.R. 3308/S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3516, Farmworker Access and Waiver Act H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, To amend the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to authorize additional special immigrant visas, to require a strategy for efficient processing, and to establish designated senior special immigrant visa coordinating officials, and for other purposes H.R. 4048, Venezuelan Adjustment Act H.R. 4358, PHDs First Act H.R. 4367, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 H.R. 4448, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 4627/S. 2327, Afghan Adjustment Act H.R. 4647, High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act H.R. 4665, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, including provisions related to amendment 133, to eliminate all funding for the Educational and Cultural Exchange programs account H.R. 4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act H.R. 4942 S. 665/, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 5127, Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act H.R. 5155, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 5477/S. 2384, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 H.R. 5990, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 H.R. 6205, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 6363, Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 H.R. 6542, Immigration Visa Efficiency and Security Act of 2023 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 207, Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act S. 243, A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 425, Secure and Protect Act of 2023 S. 505, Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1727, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 1786, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes S. 2278, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 S. 2324, Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act S. 2632, Visa Processing Improvement Act S. 2705, State Executive Authority for Seasonal Occupations Needing Additional Labor (SEASONAL) Act S. 2719, Directing Our Countrys Transfer Of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act S. 2785, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023 S. 3013, A bill to permanently authorize the exemption of aliens working as fish processors from the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas S. 3187, Southern Border Transparency Act of 2023 S. 3211, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act S. 3255, Temporary Family Visitation Act S. 3291, EAGLE Act of 2023 H.J. Res 59/S. J. Res. 25, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States" H. Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Employment and Training Administration and Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor; Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States (88 Fed. Reg. 63,750-63,832, September 15, 2023) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security; Modernizing H-2 Program Requirements, Oversight, and Worker Protections (88 Fed. Reg. 65,040-65,108, September 20, 2023) Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 Bridge USA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY24 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility for various classifications of nonimmigrants; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; reinstitution of stateside visa revalidation services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad; reforms to the use of parole authority; extending the validity period for employment authorization documents; instituting a second FY24 H-1B lottery to insure usage of all cap-subject H-1B visas; reforms to the State Departments Visa Bulletin; implementation of the new optional I-9 document verification procedures; expanded mandatory detention of unauthorized aliens in the U.S.; expansion of expulsion/removal authorities; changes to the legal standard for credible fear interviews for asylum applicants; modifying asylum eligibility requirements

Michigan Farm Bureau continues to advocate for a long-term solution to our agricultural workforce needs. We continue to communicate to Congress on the out-of-control growth in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and challenges with the H-2A visa program. We are also concerned with a few recent rules from the Biden Administration and shared those concerns with Congress. Michigan Farm Bureau communicated with Congress in opposition to the Department of Labors rule regarding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants (Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Docket Number ETA-2021-0006). MFB is supporting a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in opposition to the final AEWR rule and is encouraging Members of Congress to support it. The rule neglects to account for the fact that farm job descriptions often include many different responsibilities not just one role as the rule assumes. H.J.Res. 59 and S.J.Res. 25. MFB is also supporting S. 874 and H.R. 3308, the Farm Operations Support Act. The bill would require that the AEWR that was in effect on December 1, 2022, remains the AEWR through December 21, 2023. MFB is also supporting H.R. 3516, a bill which would waive the visa interview requirement for returning H-2A guestworkers. MFB also communicated with Congress on the USCIS proposed rule to increase fees for the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Specifically, USCIS proposes to raise filing fees for H-2A and H-2B petitions by 137% and 135%, respectively. In addition, USCIS proposes an additional $600 asylum fee per petition. Furthermore, by capping each petition at 25 workers, employers with a larger guest worker need, will incur these costs potentially multiple times over. MFB is very concerned with these proposed charges to farmers and has asked Congress to weigh in. MFB opposed H.R. 2 the Secure the Border Act of 2023 due to the bill containing mandatory E-verify. Farm Bureau cannot support mandatory E-verify unless it moves in tandem with legislation to improve the stability of our agricultural workforce. MFB also supported including language in the House Appropriations bill for FY2024 that would include an H-2B returning worker cap exemption. H-2B is an important guestworker program for agricultural processors and others that rely on seasonal workers. MFB also supported language in the House FY2024 DHS Appropriations bill that would have removed the seasonal requirement for the H-2A visa program.

Asked PA House and Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.874/H.R.3308, the Farm Operations Support Act by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Thomas Tillis (R-NC) and Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC-02) and Daniel Kildee (D-MI-08). This bill would freeze the 2023 AEWR and revert it to the December 2022 rate. Lobbied to get PA House Members signed onto Representative Bill Huizenga's (R-MI) letter to Appropriations asking for a multi-year freeze of the AEWR. Asked PA Senators to sign onto Senator Hyde-Smith's letter requesting comment extension periods for the DOL and DHS worker protection rules. Informed PA House and Senate Members of AFBF's 12/15 letter to Congressional leadership asking for an AEWR freeze and for Congress to rescind DOL's March 2023 AEWR calculation/methodology rule (Docket #: ETA-2021-0006). Had discussions with other state Farm Bureaus and AFBF on strategies to achieve significant ag labor reform with a heavy emphasis on working to freeze the AEWR. Asked PA House and Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.J.Res.25/H.J.Res.59, the Congressional Review Act Disapproval of DOLs rule (Docket #: ETA-2021-0006) to change the methodology for how the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is calculated. The CRA is being led by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representatives GT Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ralph Norman (R-SC-05). This would nullify DOL's rule to change the methodology of how the AEWR is calculated. Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns with OSHA's advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding heat illness (Docket #:OSHA-2021-0009-0001). This would protect indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat, and obtain additional information about the extent and nature of hazardous heat in the workplace and the nature and effectiveness of interventions and controls used to prevent heat-related injury and illness. However, the provisions would be extremely difficult for agricultural employers to comply with because the temperature for when the proposed rule kicks in would be 85 degrees. Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns of DOL's Notice of Proposed Rule Making entitled Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States (Docket No. ETA-2023-0003). Signed onto Ag Workforce Coalition's letters asking DHS and DOL to extend comment period for two proposed rulemakings: Modernizing H-2 Program Requirements, Oversight, and Worker Protections and Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States. Had conversations with Chairman Thompson's staff about the goals of the House Ag Farm Labor Working Group.

H.R. 2706/S.1183, The Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, related to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of anatomical gifts and organ transplants H.R. 1263 / S.533, the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, related to assisting employers providing employment under special certificates issued under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 in transforming their business and program models to models that support individuals with disabilities through competitive integrated employment, to phase out the use of such special certificates, and for other purposes. H.R. 619 / S.133, the NAPA Reauthorization Act - related to extending the National Alzheimers Project Act. H.R. 485, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs. H.R.5408 / S.2767 - SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act - would update SSIs asset limits ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would raise caps to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. H.R.3308 - HEADs UP Act of 2023 - This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to support health centers that provide services for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dental care. Grant recipients must provide specialized treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities as necessary. The bill also provides statutory authority for HHS to designate individuals with developmental disabilities as health-professional shortage population groups for the purposes of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to eligible providers who agree to work with designated populations or in areas that face shortages of primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers. H.R.3111 - Words Matter Act of 2023 - This bill removes outdated terminology in specified statutes by replacing references to mentally retarded and mental retardation with intellectual disability. Implementation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (P.L. 75-718); Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 89-110); Implementation of the National Alzheimers Project Act (P.L. 107-279); and Implementation of the Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89-97), as amended.

Asked PA House and Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.874/H.R.3308, the Farm Operations Support Act by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Thomas Tillis (R-NC) and Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC-02) and Daniel Kildee (D-MI-08). This bill would freeze the 2023 AEWR and revert it to the December 2022 rate. Asked PA House and Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.J.Res.25/H.J.Res.59, the Congressional Review Act Disapproval of DOLs rule (Docket #: ETA-2021-0006) to change the methodology for how the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is calculated. The CRA is being led by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representatives GT Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ralph Norman (R-SC-05). This would nullify DOL's rule to change the methodology of how the AEWR is calculated. Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns with OSHA's advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding heat illness (Docket #:OSHA-2021-0009-0001). This would protect indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat, and obtain additional information about the extent and nature of hazardous heat in the workplace and the nature and effectiveness of interventions and controls used to prevent heat-related injury and illness. However, the provisions would be extremely difficult for agricultural employers to comply with because the temperature for when the proposed rule kicks in would be 85 degrees. Reviewed DOL's Notice of Proposed Rule Making entitled Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States (Docket No. ETA-2023-0003). Had conversations with Chairman Thompson's staff about the goals of the House Ag Farm Labor Working Group.

Client expense: $20,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; S. 874 - Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States; H.J.Res.59 Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States"; H.R.3308 Farm Operations Support Act; H.R.2 Secure the Border Act of 2023; H.R.4319 Farm Workforce Modernization Act; H.R.4708 HIRE ACT

Client expense: $250,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Michigan Farm Bureau continues to advocate for a long-term solution to our agricultural workforce needs. We continue to communicate to Congress on the out-of-control growth in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and challenges with the H-2A visa program. We are also concerned with a few recent rules from the Biden Administration and shared those concerns with Congress. Michigan Farm Bureau communicated with Congress in opposition to the Department of Labors rule regarding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants (Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Docket Number ETA-2021-0006). MFB is supporting a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in opposition to the final AEWR rule and is encouraging Members of Congress to support it. The rule neglects to account for the fact that farm job descriptions often include many different responsibilities not just one role as the rule assumes. H.J.Res. 59 and S.J.Res. 25. MFB is also supporting S. 874 and H.R. 3308, the Farm Operations Support Act. The bill would require that the AEWR that was in effect on December 1, 2022, remains the AEWR through December 21, 2023. MFB is also supporting H.R. 3516, a bill which would waive the visa interview requirement for returning H-2A guestworkers. MFB also communicated with Congress on the USCIS proposed rule to increase fees for the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Specifically, USCIS proposes to raise filing fees for H-2A and H-2B petitions by 137% and 135%, respectively. In addition, USCIS proposes an additional $600 asylum fee per petition. Furthermore, by capping each petition at 25 workers, employers with a larger guest worker need, will incur these costs potentially multiple times over. MFB is very concerned with these proposed charges to farmers and has asked Congress to weigh in. MFB opposed H.R. 2 the Secure the Border Act of 2023 due to the bill containing mandatory E-verify. Farm Bureau cannot support mandatory E-verify unless it moves in tandem with legislation to improve the stability of our agricultural workforce. MFB also supported including language in the House Appropriations bill for FY2024 that would include an H-2B returning worker cap exemption. H-2B is an important guestworker program for agricultural processors and others that rely on seasonal workers.

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 29, Border Safety and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 163, Security First Act H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 489, Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 672, Border Security Investment Act H.R. 1325/S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 H.R. 1511, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1778, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2393, Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 2827/S. 1301, Partner with Korea Act H.R. 3308/S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3516, Farmworker Access and Waiver Act H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, To amend the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to authorize additional special immigrant visas, to require a strategy for efficient processing, and to establish designated senior special immigrant visa coordinating officials, and for other purposes H.R. 4048, Venezuelan Adjustment Act H.R. 4358, PHDs First Act H.R. 4367, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 H.R. 4448, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 4627/S. 2327 Afghan Adjustment Act H.R. 4647, High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act H.R. 4665, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024, including provisions related to amendment 133, to eliminate all funding for the Educational and Cultural Exchange programs account H.R. 4708, H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act H.R. 4942 S. 665/, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 5127, Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act H.R. 5155, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 5477/S. 2384, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2023 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 207, Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act S. 243, A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to establish procedures for conducting maintenance projects at ports of entry at which the Office of Field Operations conducts certain enforcement and facilitation activities S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 425, Secure and Protect Act of 2023 S. 505, Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1727, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 1786, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes S. 2278, Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 S. 2324, Ensuring American Security and Protecting Afghan Allies Act S. 2632, Visa Processing Improvement Act S. 2705, State Executive Authority for Seasonal Occupations Needing Additional Labor (SEASONAL) Act S. 2719, Directing Our Countrys Transfer Of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act S. 2785, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023 H.J. Res 59/S. J. Res. 25, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States" H. Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 Bridge USA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY24 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; State Department Consular Fee schedule; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; reinstitution of stateside visa revalidation services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad; reforms to the use of parole authority; extending the validity period for employment authorization documents; instituting a second FY24 H-1B lottery to insure usage of all cap-subject H-1B visas; reforms to the State Departments Visa Bulletin; Implementation of the new optional I-9 document verification procedures

Proposed and Finalized regulations related to the H-2A Guestworker Program; E-Verify; Guestworker programs; immigration reform; S. 874 - Farm Operations Support Act; S.J.Res.25 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States; H.J.Res.59 Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States"; H.R.3308 Farm Operations Support Act; H.R.2 Secure the Border Act of 2023

Client expense: $250,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE

Asked PA Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.874/H.R.3308, the Farm Operations Support Act by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Thomas Tillis (R-NC) and Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC-02) and Daniel Kildee (D-MI-08). This bill would freeze the 2023 AEWR and revert it to the December 2022 rate. Asked PA House and Senate Members to support and co-sponsor S.J.Res.25/H.J.Res.59, the Congressional Review Act Disapproval of DOLs rule (Docket #: ETA-2021-0006) to change the methodology for how the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is calculated. The CRA is being led by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representatives GT Thompson (R-PA-15) and Ralph Norman (R-SC-05). This would nullify DOL's rule to change the methodology of how the AEWR is calculated. Had conversations with PA House and Senate Members over PFB's concerns with OSHA's advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding heat illness (Docket #:OSHA-2021-0009-0001). This would protect indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat, and obtain additional information about the extent and nature of hazardous heat in the workplace and the nature and effectiveness of interventions and controls used to prevent heat-related injury and illness. However, the provisions would be extremely difficult for agricultural employers to comply with because the temperature for when the proposed rule kicks in would be 85 degrees. Signed onto the April 19th LIBERTY Campaign Coalition letter to Congressional Members that addressed the need for ag labor reform. Had conversations with Chairman Thompson's staff about the goals of the House Ag Farm Labor Working Group.

Client expense: $15,000 · Firm income: Not reported

H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 29, Border Safety and Security Act of 2023 H.R. 163, Security First Act H.R. 319, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 489, Expedited Removal Codification Act of 2023 H.R. 575, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 H.R. 614, Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023 H.R. 672, Border Security Investment Act H.R. 1511, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 1535, Eliminating Backlogs Act of 2023 H.R. 1760, To extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers H.R. 1787, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide nonimmigrant status to mobile entertainment workers, and for other purposes H.R. 2758, Returning Worker Accountability Act of 2023 H.R. 3308, Farm Operations Support Act H.R. 3442/S. 1667, Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 H.R. 3516, Farmworker Access and Waiver Act H.R. 3599, DIGNITY Act H.R. 3734, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 3808, To amend the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to authorize additional special immigrant visas, to require a strategy for efficient processing, and to establish designated senior special immigrant visa coordinating officials, and for other purposes H.R. 4367 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 S. 156, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 207, Temporary Protected Status Reform and Integrity Act S. 255, Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 S. 365, Dream Act of 2023 S. 387, Canadian Snowbirds Act of 2023 S. 425, Secure and Protect Act of 2023 S. 505, Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 S. 665, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 874, Farm Operations Support Act S. 979,H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 S. 1253, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2023 S. 1786, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023 S. 1926, A bill to amend the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act to make Uruguay eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under that Act, to include Uruguay in the list of foreign states whose nationals are eligible for admission into the United States as E1 and E2 nonimmigrants if nationals of the United States are treated similarly by the Government of Uruguay, and to require a report on the eligibility of Uruguay for the visa waiver program, and for other purposes H.J. Res 59/S. J. Res. 25, Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States" H. Res. 481, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries Potential legislation similar to H.R. 6637, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY24 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; Office of Foreign Labor Certifications Planned Implementation of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment Certification, into DOLs Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; asylum and refugee programs; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; EB-5 Regional Center Program and the Implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; State Department Consular Fee schedule; USCIS Fee Schedule; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; regulatory proposals reopening and expanding consular operations; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; reinstitution of stateside visa revalidation services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; DOL processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad

Michigan Farm Bureau continues to advocate for a long-term solution to our agricultural workforce needs. We continue to communicate to Congress on the out-of-control growth in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and challenges with the H-2A visa program. We are also concerned with a few recent rules from the Biden Administration and shared those concerns with Congress. Michigan Farm Bureau communicated with Congress in opposition to the Department of Labors rule regarding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants (Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Docket Number ETA-2021-0006). MFB is supporting a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in opposition to the final AEWR rule and is encouraging Members of Congress to support it. The rule neglects to account for the fact that farm job descriptions often include many different responsibilities not just one role as the rule assumes. H.J.Res. 59 and S.J.Res. 25. MFB is also supporting S. 874 and H.R. 3308, the Farm Operations Support Act. The bill would require that the AEWR that was in effect on December 1, 2022, remains the AEWR through December 21, 2023. MFB is also supporting H.R. 3516, a bill which would waive the visa interview requirement for returning H-2A guestworkers. MFB also communicated with Congress on the USCIS proposed rule to increase fees for the H-2A and H-2B visa programs. Specifically, USCIS proposes to raise filing fees for H-2A and H-2B petitions by 137% and 135%, respectively. In addition, USCIS proposes an additional $600 asylum fee per petition. Furthermore, by capping each petition at 25 workers, employers with a larger guest worker need, will incur these costs potentially multiple times over. MFB is very concerned with these proposed charges to farmers and has asked Congress to weigh in. MFB opposed H.R. 2 the Secure the Border Act of 2023 due to the bill containing mandatory E-verify. Farm Bureau cannot support mandatory E-verify unless it moves in tandem with legislation to improve the stability of our agricultural workforce. MFB also supported including language in the House Appropriations bill for FY2024 that would include an H-2B returning worker cap exemption. H-2B is an important guestworker program for agricultural processors and others that rely on seasonal workers.