On October 12, Reps. Rodney Alexander (R-LA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Charles Boustany (R-LA) and Andy Harris (R-MD) introduced legislation (HR 3162) that would prohibit the DOL from implementing the H-2B wage rule and finalizing the H-2B proposed rule. FEWA supports this legislation and we need your help gain widespread support for this bill. By garnering numerous cosponsors of this bill, we will be able to send DOL a strong message about the devastating impact of its rules on seasonal businesses.
Please call your Member of Congress today and ask them to cosponsor this important legislation (Click here for talking points). You can reach them through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles immigration issues. Pease tell him or her about the importance of the H-2B program to your business and the community you serve. Tell them what the rules mean to your company and to your American workers. Please also call your two Senators and encourage them to support the introduction of similar legislation in the Senate (Click here for talking points).
As you know, DOL recently delayed the implementation of the wage rule from September 30 to November 30. In issuing the delay, DOL cited the H-2B lawsuit supported by FEWA and many of our members, as well as a second lawsuit. The delay also followed the September 21 Senate Appropriations Committee passage of a 2012 funding bill that would prevent DOL from enforcing the wage rule. A draft bill released by the House appropriations committee would prohibit DOL from implementing both the wage rule and the proposed rule. While the delay is helpful, we need to continue to fight these rules in Congress and in the courts.
Congress is not expected to act on appropriations legislation until late this year. We need to compel Congress to pass legislation prohibiting DOL from implementing the wage rule prior to November 30. We also need to prevent DOL from finalizing the proposed rule. Please call you Senators and Members of Congress today and ask them to cosponsor HR 3162.
FEWA has also put together some draft text in English and in Spanish to assist you in explaining the current situation to your workers. Click here to view the sample text.