Legal Agricultural Workforce Act

Bill: 113-hr-242
Sponsor: Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]
Introduced: 2013-01-14 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Business records
Department of Agriculture
Disability assistance
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee benefits and pensions
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Employment taxes
Federal preemption
Foreign labor
Government information and archives
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Immigration status and procedures
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Visas and passports
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2013-01-14
text: 
Legal Agricultural Workforce Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a W-visa nonimmigrant classification for temporary agricultural workers.
 
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish: (1) a nonimmigrant temporary agricultural worker program (W-visa) which shall include annual numerical limitations and monthly limitations based on enrollment requests, historical agricultural employment needs, and the reports of U.S. workers applying for agricultural employment; and (2) a trust fund to administer and enforce the program and provide a monetary incentive for such workers to return to their countries upon visa expiration.
 
Sets forth program provisions, including: (1) enrollment requirements, (2) a visa preference allocation system, (3) a biometric identification card requirement, (4) U.S. worker protections, and (5) visa increases due to extraordinary and unusual employment circumstances.
 
Makes such agricultural workers ineligible for need-based federal financial assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-01-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
action_date: 2013-01-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2013-01-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, 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: 2013-01-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, 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: 2013-01-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, 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: 2013-01-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, 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: 2013-01-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2013-01-14
text: Introduced in House