Don’t Force Businesses to Go Underground or Go Out of Business (Rep. Tim Bishop)

Two weeks ago, the cap on H-2B immigration visas for migrant and seasonal workers was reached. Consequently, many family-owned small businesses that depend on such employees will be without the workforce they need to stay in business. This is an urgent need affecting my district and many other areas across the country.

Like my colleagues who recognize the importance of H-2B visas to our economy, I support raising the cap permanently and incorporating this change into broader immigration reform. Regrettably, partisanship and political obstacles to broader reform were made evident when the Senate debated it last year.

Therefore, we must resolve to enact those smaller-scale remedies we can agree upon today in order to alleviate the burden our broken immigration system imposes upon our businesses as we continue addressing the security and economic challenges required to enact broader reform.

In the absence of such a consensus, serious consideration and support should be given to H.R. 1843, the “Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act,