I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6122 
To reform the H–2A program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 19, 2025 
Mr. ALLEN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To reform the H–2A program for nonimmigrant agricultural 
workers, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Better Agriculture Re-
sources Now Act’’ or the ‘‘BARN Act’’. 
SEC. 2. H–2A PROGRAM REFORMS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR OR SERV-
ICES.—Section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a)) is 
amended— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:10 Nov 20, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6122.IH
H6122
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Labor’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Secretary of Agriculture’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘and the pressing’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘the pressing’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘of a temporary’’ and all that 
follows through the end and inserting ‘‘, and the 
handling, planting, drying, packing, packaging, proc-
essing, freezing, grading, storing, or delivering to 
storage or to market or to a carrier for transpor-
tation to market, in its unmanufactured state, any 
agricultural or horticultural commodity, or’’. 
(b) ADMINISTERING OFFICIAL.—Section 218 of such 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1188) is amended by striking ‘‘Secretary 
of Labor’’ each place such term appears and inserting 
‘‘Secretary of Agriculture’’. 
(c) DEEMED APPROVAL.—Section 218(c)(3)(A) of 
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(c)(3)(A)) is amended by insert-
ing before ‘‘In considering’’ the following: ‘‘The Secretary 
of Agriculture shall review such application and shall pro-
vide a determination on the application within 15 days of 
the date of the filing of the application. If the Secretary 
does not comply with the deadline in the preceding sen-
tence, the application shall be deemed approved.’’. 
(d) 
EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENT.—Section 
218(c)(3)(A) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(c)(3)(A)), as 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:10 Nov 20, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6122.IH
H6122
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
amended by subsection (c), is further amended by adding 
at the end the following: ‘‘A job offer may contain an expe-
rience requirement as long as work performed in an illegal 
status may not be counted towards such requirement.’’. 
(e) ELIMINATION OF 50-PERCENT RULE.—Section 
218(c)(3) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(c)(3)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(A)’’; 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B); and 
(3) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B). 
(f) WAGE RATE.—Section 218(a)(1)(B) of such Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1188(a)(1)(B)) is amended by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘, except that no employer 
shall be required to pay a wage rate greater than 115 per-
cent of the greatest of the Federal and State minimum 
wage rates.’’. 
(g) DEADLINE FOR FILING APPLICATIONS.—Section 
218(c)(1) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(c)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘45’’ and inserting ‘‘30’’. 
(h) PERIOD OF AUTHORIZED NONIMMIGRANT STA-
TUS.—Section 218(h) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(h)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) The initial period of authorized status as a non-
immigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) shall 
not exceed 1 year. Such period may be extended once by 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:10 Nov 20, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6122.IH
H6122
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB