Bill Summary
This legislation, known as the "Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2019", aims to amend the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 in order to provide an exemption from numerical limitations on H-2B workers. This means that the numerical cap on the number of H-2B workers allowed in the US will not apply to certain nonimmigrant aliens who are employed or have received an offer of employment on a commercial fishing vessel or shrimp trawler, or in the processing of fish, fishery products, or baitfish. This legislation also clarifies the definitions of certain terms used in this section. Overall, the goal of this legislation is to support the commercial fishing and seafood industry by allowing them to access necessary workers without being restricted by numerical limitations.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could potentially benefit workers in the commercial fishing and seafood industry by exempting them from numerical limitations on H-2B visas, allowing them to work in the United States without quota restrictions.
2. The amendment to this legislation could also impact nonimmigrant workers who are employed or offered employment in the processing of fish or fishery products, as they would also be exempt from numerical limitations on H-2B visas.
3. This legislation could potentially affect the labor market and job opportunities for both American workers and nonimmigrant workers, as it allows for more foreign workers to enter the United States and work in the commercial fishing and seafood industry.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2658 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2658
To amend the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to provide
for the inclusion of certain workers in the exemption from numerical
limitations on H-2B workers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 9, 2019
Mr. Wittman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to provide
for the inclusion of certain workers in the exemption from numerical
limitations on H-2B workers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Commercial Fishing and Seafood
Business Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN WORKERS IN EXEMPTION FROM NUMERICAL
LIMITATIONS ON H-2B WORKERS.
Section 14006 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005
(Public Law 108-287) is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 14006. The numerical limitation contained in section
214(g)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1184(g)(1)(B)) shall not apply to any nonimmigrant alien issued a visa
or otherwise provided status under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) of such
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b)) who is employed (or has received
an offer of employment)--
``(1) on a commercial fishing vessel or shrimp trawler; or
``(2) in the processing of--
``(A) fish or fishery products; or
``(B) baitfish.
Terms used in this section have the meanings given such terms
in section 123.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations.''.
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