H-2B WORKFORCE COALITION Protecting American Workers Through a Stable and Reliable Seasonal Workforce
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H-2B WORKFORCE COALITION Protecting American Workers Through a Stable and Reliable Seasonal Workforce www.h2bworkforcecoalition.com Brian Crawford, Co-Chair American Hotel & Lodging Association March 23, 2017 Laurie Flanagan, Co-Chair AmericanHort National Association of Landscape The Honorable Paul Ryan The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Professionals Speaker of the House Democratic Leader Gregg Hartley, Co-Chair Outdoor Amusement Business U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives Association H-232, The Capitol H-204, The Capitol Executive Committee: Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 American Horse Council American Moving & Storage Association The Honorable Kevin McCarthy The Honorable Steny Hoyer American Rental Association Majority Leader Minority Whip American Sugar Cane League U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives American Trucking Associations Asian American Hotel Owners Association H-107, The Capitol H-148, The Capitol Associated Builders and Contractors Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Associated General Contractors of America Brick Industry Association The Honorable Steve Scalise Building Stone Institute Majority Whip Crawfish Processors Alliance Essential Worker Immigration Coalition U.S. House of Representatives Federation of Employers and Workers of America H-329, The Capitol Forest Resources Association Washington, DC 20515 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Gulf Seafood Institute Dear Leaders: ImmigrationWorks USA Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute As representatives of small and seasonal employers throughout the country, the H-2B International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Workforce Coalition urges you to include H-2B cap relief in any spending measure International Association of Fairs and Expositions for the remainder of fiscal 2017, as well as in the fiscal 2018 Department of International Franchise Association Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Without Congressional action, many National Alliance of Forest Owners National Association of Home Builders employers across the country will be without the critical workforce they need to National Association of Realtors operate this spring and summer. These businesses may not be able to fulfill contracts. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture They could be forced to turn away customers, lay off American workers whose jobs National Club Association are supported by H-2B workers, or in some cases shut down their operations entirely. National Council of Agricultural Employers National Electrical Contractors Association During much of fiscal 2016, well-vetted returning H-2B workers were exempt from National Federation of Independent Business the program’s 66,000 statutory cap, but this provision expired at the end of the fiscal National Fisheries Institute National Hispanic Landscape Alliance year. The House Appropriations Committee included the same provision in the FY17 National Restaurant Association Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill. National Roofing Contractors Association National Ski Areas Association The H-2B program is essential to employers who cannot find local temporary National Thoroughbred Racing Association workers to fill jobs in seafood processing, horse training, hospitality and amusement Outdoor Amusement Business Association Outdoor Power Equipment Institute parks, forestry, landscaping, circuses, carnivals, food concessionaires, swimming Small & Seasonal Business Legal Center pool maintenance, golf courses, stone quarries and other seasonal industries. Most of Snow and Ice Management Association these seasonal businesses need H-2B workers to supplement their American Society of American Florists workforce. Many of these businesses, however, will not be able to hire H-2B Tree Care Industry Association AILA Doc. No. 17041036. (Posted 4/10/17) U.S. Apple Association workers this spring and summer because the program’s annual 66,000 cap (33,000 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Utility Sprayer Alliance for each half of the fiscal year) fails to meet the demands of a growing economy. The cap for the first half of the fiscal year was reached on January 10 and the cap for the second half of the year was reached on March 13. The H-2B program relies on well-vetted returning workers who come to the U.S. for seasonal employment and then go home. These workers are not immigrants. They provide an opportunity for U.S. businesses to operate at a greater capacity, retain their full-time workers and contribute to their local economies. Seasonal workers help support many upstream and downstream jobs. Every H-2B worker is estimated to create and sustain 4.64 American jobs. Relief for seasonal businesses that use the H-2B program is urgently needed. We urge you to include H-2B cap relief in any spending measure for the remainder of fiscal 2017, as well as in the fiscal 2018 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Sincerely, National Organizations American Horse Council American Hotel & Lodging Association American Immigration Lawyers Association American Moving & Storage Association American Rental Association American Sugar Cane League Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. AmericanHort AZTEC Foreign Labor, Inc. Carnival Americana Club Managers Association of America Federation of Employers and Workers of America Forest Landowners Association Forest Resources Association Golf Course Superintendents Association of America H-2B Providers' Coalition Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute Irrigation Association másLabor National Alliance of Forest Owners National Association of Home Builders National Association of Landscape Professionals National Association of Realtors National Association of State Departments of Agriculture National Council of Agricultural Employers National Club Association National Fisheries Institute National Hispanic Landscape Alliance AILA Doc. No. 17041036. (Posted 4/10/17) National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association National Restaurant Association National Roofing Contractors Association National Ski Areas Association National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Wood Flooring Association Outdoor Amusement Business Association Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Small and Seasonal Business Legal Center Snow & Ice Management Association, Inc. The Associated General Contractors of America Treated Wood Council Tree Care Industry Association U.S. Chamber of Commerce Utility Sprayer Alliance Regional Organizations Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association Gulf Seafood Institute (AL, FL, LA, MS, TX) Kissel Entertainment, LLC. (OH, AL, GA, TN, MS, LA and KY) Kotts Krete LLC. (KS, TX) Landscape Contractors Association (MD, DC, VA) Mainscape, Inc (FL, NC, SC) New England Seasonal Business Coalition One Grounds Management (ID, UD) Rayonier Southern Nursery Association (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) The Heart of America Golf Course Superintendents Association (KS, MO) U.S. Americans, Inc. (NY, VA) Turf Tamer Inc. (AL, TN) Alabama Alabama Forestry Association Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance Calloway Inc., Alabama Embassy Suites, Alabama Greenscape Contractors, LLC, Alabama Landscape Workshop, Alabama Linan Construction, Alabama PCH Hotels and Resorts, Inc., Alabama Resort Recreation Center Inc., Alabama The Track, Alabama Alaska Alaska Glacier Seafoods, Alaska Alpine Lodge Hotel Operations, Alaska AILA Doc. No. 17041036. (Posted 4/10/17) International Seafoods of Alaska Inc., Alaska Arizona Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association Arizona Nursery Association B & J Concessions LLC, Arizona Brown’s Amusements, Arizona It's Magic, Inc., Arizona Corporate & Employee Services, Arizona Lopez Concessions LLC, Arizona Midway West Amusements, Arizona Odyssey Foods LLC, Arizona Omni Montelucia LLC, Arizona Paradise Management, Arizona The Phoenician Resort, Arizona Ray Cammack Shows Inc., Arizona Summitt Forests Inc., Arizona Trinity Concessions LLC, Arizona Westin Kierland, Arizona Arkansas Arkansas Hospitality Association Arkansas Timber Producers Association Arkansas Forestry Association Frank Sharum Landscape Design Inc., Arkansas Genesis Lawn and Landscape Management Inc., Arkansas Golf Course Superintendents Association of Arkansas Good Earth Garden Center, Arkansas Horticare & Associates, Arkansas Land Design Inc., Arkansas Progressive Solutions LLC, Arkansas Superior Forestry Service, Inc., Arkansas The Alotian Club, LLC, Arkansas California AK Astudillo Inc., California California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers California Hotel & Lodging Association Commres Financial LLC, California Del Conte's Landscaping, Inc., California Derby’s Confections, California Estate Landscape & Irrigation Inc., California Jim’s Rides, California Gachina Landscape Management, California Golf Course Superintendents Association of Central California Golf Course Superintendents Association of Southern California Helm and Sons Amusements, California Kastl Amusements, California Lahontan Golf Club, California Midway of Fun Inc., California AILA Doc. No. 17041036. (Posted 4/10/17) Papa Gino’s Pizza, California Perennial Nursery Inc., California Sandra Lucia Perez, California Shamrock Shows, California Stroud Enterprises, California The Inland Empire Golf Course Superintendents Association, California ValleyCrest Companies, California Yosemite Bug LLC, California