Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-LA) joined a group of lawmakers who this week sent the House Appropriations Committee a letter stressing the need for an H-2B visa program for U.S. industries, including Louisiana’s Gulf seafood businesses.
The U.S. Department of Labor has a statutory numerical limit for the number of temporary workers that are legally allowed into the country during a single fiscal year. The federal law has the current H-2B visa distribution limited to 66,000 each year, which is divided between the two fiscal halves of a year.
January 2015 saw the cap of the first half, and now the second half has almost reached its cap as well.
“It’s time to end the federal government’s stranglehold on the Louisiana Gulf seafood industry,” Boustany said. “It’s estimated that each H-2B visa issued supports four American jobs. In spite of that, statutory limitations on temporary guest worker admittance have created a system of uncertainty where our processors don’t know from year to year whether they’ll have sufficient labor to prepare the seafood we eat. That’s bad policy. My colleagues and I are seeking a permanent solution that will protect this historic and important industry from Washington overreach.”
Typically, Congress provides temporary relief by lifting the cap number, but Boustany and others would like to see a permanent change made.
“We believe by making this exemption permanent, you will be providing much-needed stability to these vital industries,” Boustany said. “We cannot stress enough that seasonal workers are crucial for the success of many small and seasonal businesses throughout the United States. Without seasonal workers during peak cycles, many businesses cannot afford to employ American workers the rest of the year.”