WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators,
led by Tom Carper (D-Del.), a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee, including Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Jeanne
Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Mich.), Susan Collins
(R-Maine) and John Thune (R-S.D.), sent a letter to Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly urging him to use the
authority provided by Congress to lift the cap on seasonal H-2B visas that
employers rely on to fill summer jobs. The senators also expressed
their concern about reports that visas may not be approved in time
for peak tourist season.
"Businesses in our states, particularly
in our tourism industries, rely on the H-2B visa program to hire extra workers
in the summer tourism season, when demand is greatest," the
senators wrote. "The delay in approving additional visas during much of
the peak season could hurt local employers' ability to keep their businesses
going and meet demand. We respectfully urge you to use the authority
provided by Congress to increase the number of H-2B visas available to seasonal
workers, and to work with the Department of Labor to ensure that visas are
available as soon as possible."
Last week, DHS confirmed it would increase the number
of seasonal H-2B visas, but said that visas will not be available until late in
the season, hurting many businesses who rely on seasonal
workers. Additionally, reports indicate that DHS may only provide a
limited number of visas under the authority. The letter asks that Secretary
Kelly increase the number available consistent with the authority provided to
him by Congress.
The text of the letter to Secretary Kelly can be found below and in pdf form here.