Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-707
Sponsor: Rep. Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" [R-AR-1]
Introduced: 2013-02-14 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employment taxes
Foreign labor
Government trust funds
Housing finance and home ownership
Lawyers and legal services
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Visas and passports
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: 
Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to rename H-2A nonimmigrant temporary agricultural workers as STRAW workers.
 
Includes dairy or ranch workers in such category.
 
Eliminates the 50% rule requiring employers to agree to accept all qualified U.S. workers until 50% of the certified employment period has been completed.
 
Provides that an employer shall not be required to pay a wage rate greater than the greatest of the federal, state, and local minimum wage rates.
 
Prohibits the Legal Services Corporation from providing legal assistance for any alien and prohibits providing financial assistance to any person or entity that provides legal assistance for any alien, unless: (1) the alien is present in the United States when the legal assistance is provided, and (2) the parties to the dispute have attempted mediation or other non-binding dispute resolution of all issues.
 
Sets forth STRAW worker provisions regarding housing and length of U.S. stay.
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide each nonimmigrant agricultural worker with an identification card that contains: (1) an encrypted, machine-readable, electronic identification strip that is unique to such alien; (2) biometric identifiers, including fingerprints and a digital photograph; and (3) physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a trust fund to pay for: (1) program administration and enforcement, (2) identification card costs, (3) monetary incentives for nonimmigrant agricultural workers to return to their country of origin, and (4) emergency medical services furnished to such workers. 
 
Provides for the payment of specified funds into the trust fund from employers and worker wage deductions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-04-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
action_date: 2013-02-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-02-14
text: Introduced in House