Twenty-nine U.S. Representatives who support the AgJOBS provision sent letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer advocating the passage of AgJOBS in this congressional session.
"As the 111th session of Congress draws to a close, we have been made aware that you are considering moving immigration-related legislation, specifically the DREAM Act, during this session. While we continue to believe many components of our immigration laws need reform, we agree that some intermediate solution could be helpful. We strongly believe that any such intermediate solution must contain AgJOBS," stated the Congressmen.
Farmers and farm workers have been and continue to be passionate and vocal advocates for providing a legal agricultural workforce. As recent congressional hearings have described, farms across the United States continue to struggle to maintain a reliable, legal workforce to do the pruning, picking, packing, milking and harvesting needed to put food on America's tables. Passing AgJOBS before the end of the session is essential to ensuring these farms will be able to operate as additional reform measures are debated.
The American Sheep Industry Association has long supported AgJOBS to codify the continuation of the H-2A sheepherder provision.