RegelbruggeMixed messages out of Washington are nothing new. Still, House Speaker John Boehner’s comments on immigration reform two weeks ago were widely interpreted as “it’s dead.” Then last week, Boehner himself in an interview said “it is absolutely not dead.” Over the weekend, prominent rising House Republican star Rep. Paul Ryan (WI) drilled down, insisting in an interview that the House will act, just not this year because the calendar just doesn’t have enough legislative days left. He went on to share details on principles he believes can garner a majority of Republican support.
Meanwhile, as reported in The New York Times, a clear majority of Americans supports an immigration resolution that includes an opportunity for earned citizenship. The support grows to over 70 percent when linked to conditions such as a background check, payment of back taxes, and a requirement to learn English.
The question of citizenship aside, most in our industry want to see some sort of action. Toward that goal, what can green industry employers do? Educate, educate, educate! Members of Congress need to hear from constituents about what is broken with America’s immigration system, and the need for repairs that bring the system in line with the needs and opportunities of a 21st Century economy. Even if your own priorities are narrow, such as stabilizing reforms that would take the H-2B seasonal worker visa program out of a tailspin, such reforms won’t have a shot unless a broader package or packages of bills are moving.
Meanwhile, a group of House Republicans is mobilizing to give support to their leadership team to bring immigration to the House floor during the first half of 2014. These Members, including Reps. Valadao and Denham (CA) and Amodei and Heck (NV), are circulating a Congressional sign-on letter urging action. The letter does not address specific bills or policies, just the urgency of moving the process of reform forward.
So somewhere amidst giving thanks and the turkey and the ballgames, if you have a Republican representing you in Congress, reach out and remind him or her of the importance of this issue. Urge them to sign the Valadao letter (pronounced “Val-uh-DAY-oh”) when they come back to Washington at the beginning of December. Rep. Valadao’s staff contact is Jessica Butler. Her email is Jessica.Butler@mail.house.gov. Without a strong showing of support by December 10, reform this Congress will be one step closer to the graveyard gate.