Cochran: New temporary worker visa rule flawed
Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran will support legislation to stop the implementation of new federal regulations governing a temporary foreign worker visa program, saying the regulatory changes are flawed and detrimental to seasonal industries like shrimping on the Gulf Coast.
Cochran announced that he will cosponsor a joint resolution of disapproval challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule to restructure the H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program. The resolution, expected to be introduced soon by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, is intended to restrict the Labor Department from implementing the rule in April.
“There are a lot of workforce problems on the Gulf Coast and in Mississippi that the federal government should not make more difficult. The seafood and forestry industries rely on the H-2B visa program to put together seasonal workforces. Unfortunately, the Department of Labor has proposed two H-2B rules in the past year that will make the process of hiring workers even more cumbersome and more challenging to deal with in a positive way, especially for small businesses,” Cochran said.
The office of Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran
Mar. 21, 2012
Magnolia Tribune
