AG Act

Bill: 115-hr-4092
Sponsor: Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6]
Introduced: 2017-10-23 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration
Aquaculture
Department of Labor
Employee benefits and pensions
Food industry and services
Foreign labor
Forests, forestry, trees
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Immigration status and procedures
Income tax credits
Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor
Seafood
Temporary and part-time employment
Visas and passports
Wages and earnings
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-10-23
text: 

Agricultural Guestworker Act or the AG Act 

 
 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a new H-2C nonimmigrant visa for aliens having a residence in a foreign country which they have no intention of abandoning and who are coming temporarily to the United States to perform agricultural labor or services. 
 
An employer seeking to employ aliens as H-2C workers must file a petition with the Department of Homeland Security and provide required information. 
 
The maximum period of authorized status for temporary or seasonal H-2C workers is 18 months. For aliens not employed as temporary or seasonal workers, the maximum initial period is 36 months with subsequent periods of 18 months. 
 
A trust fund is established to provide a monetary incentive for H-2C workers to return to their countries of origin upon expiration of their visas. 
 
The bill establishes annual fiscal year H-2C admission limits.
 
The bill also sets forth provisions regarding: (1) penalties for failure to pay wages or required benefits, (2) working conditions and wages, (3) admissions and extensions of stay, (4) abandonment of employment and worker replacement, (5) protection of U.S. workers, and (6) arbitration and mediation of employment-related claims of H-2C workers.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-10-25
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 16.
action_date: 2017-10-25
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-10-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2017-10-23
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, 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: 2017-10-23
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, 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: 2017-10-23
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Ways and Means, 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: 2017-10-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-10-23
text: Introduced in House