In order to have a solid chance of moving through Congress and being signed into law by the President, a given bill must gain support from members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and on both sides of the political aisle. Congress members that author and introduce a bill are known as sponsors of that legislation, while additional members that show their support are considered cosponsors and can add their names to the bill after it’s introduced and before it goes into committee.
In the green industry and several other industries that utilize the H-2B program for supplemental labor, many companies have their eyes on the new “Save Our Small & Seasonal Businesses” Act, which was introduced to Congress by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) on Feb. 10. On Wednesday, dozens of industry supporters of the legislation descended on Washington, D.C. to meet with state representatives and urge their support.
So far, 38 senators and 79 representatives have thrown their support behind the bill that would alleviate some pressures of the H-2B visa cap this year and next year. However, the H-2B Workforce Coalition, with members including the American Nursery & Landscape Association and the Professional Landcare Network, are urging their members to continue contacting representatives to ask for their support. Because of the tight timeframe in which the bill needs to be pushed through, immediate action is necessary.
Below is a list of current cosponsors of the new legislation, as well as information on how to get in touch with representatives from your state. In addition to adding names to the cosponsor, be sure to contact existing cosponsors to thank them for their support and to reinforce the importance of the “Save Our Small & Seasonal Businesses” legislation.
To find contact information for lawmakers in your state, visit the Sentate Web site and the House of Representatives Web site. Each site has links to homepages for every Member of Congress, as well as information on current legislation and voting information.