Steube Introduces Bill to Move Oversight of H-2A Visa Program to Department of Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced the Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act to relocate the H-2A visa program from the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor to the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“Farmers across Florida rely on the H-2A visa program each year for temporary agricultural labor,” said Congressman Steube following the introduction of the bill. “Given that the purpose of the H-2A program is to address agricultural labor needs, it seems only logical that we would rely on the Department of Agriculture to review and grant these visas.”
This bill would relocate the H-2A visa program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture, including all personnel, funding, and other materials necessary for the administration of the program. The bill also transfers the responsibility for issuing the visa from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
“The USDA is the expert when it comes to agriculture, and I for one think it is the best department to determine the needs of the agricultural community when it comes to labor,” continued Steube. “It is my hope that with the transfer of this program, farmers in Florida and across America will see expedited review times and an overall improvement in the administration of the program. It’s time we trust the experts to manage this critical program and ensure the needs of our farmers are being met efficiently and effectively.”
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