A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Fair Wages for Farmworkers Act," directs the Secretary of Labor to change how wage rates are calculated for H-2A workers. It mandates the use of State occupational employment and wage estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey to determine the adverse effect wage rate. Additionally, the bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding the processing of worker petitions. It shifts authority from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Homeland Security in certain instances. Finally, it allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to start processing H-2A worker petitions while the Secretary of Labor is still processing the certification application.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill allows for faster processing of H-2A worker petitions by permitting the Secretary of Homeland Security to act while the Secretary of Labor is still processing certification.
- Scored +5
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill provides agricultural employers with faster access to H-2A labor by allowing petition processing to overlap with certification.
- Scored +3
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill accelerates the petition processing timeline for H-2A workers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Efficiency in Petition Processing: The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized to begin processing a petition for an H-2A worker while the Secretary of Labor is still processing the certification application (Section 3). This could lead to faster processing times for workers and employers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill allows for faster processing of H-2A worker petitions by permitting the Secretary of Homeland Security to act while the Secretary of Labor is still processing certification. Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill provides agricultural employers with faster access to H-2A labor by allowing petition processing to overlap with certification. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill accelerates the petition processing timeline for H-2A workers. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill facilitates faster petition processing for H-2A workers, a group frequently composed of Hispanic immigrants. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Standardizing the adverse effect wage rate calculation using BLS estimates can help ensure H-2A wages remain competitive with local estimates.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay? — The bill mandates using specific State occupational employment and wage estimates to calculate the required wage for H-2A workers.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill shifts authority from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Homeland Security regarding worker petitions.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill streamlines the petition process for H-2A workers by allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security to begin processing petitions earlier.
- 12/18/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Maria SalazarRepublican · Florida