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Bipartisan Senators Call on Administration to Approve Additional Seasonal H-2B Visas
Wednesday, June 28, 2017

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.