National Restaurant Association Applauds House Passage of H-2B Visa Extension Legislation; Urges Senate to Act Swiftly
The National Restaurant Association praised the House for passing a one-year extension of the H-2B visa legislation signed into law by President Bush last year. The extension was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, passed by the House this evening. The Senate is expected to consider the bill before adjourning for recess.
The Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2006 provides overdue help to employers by exempting H-2B workers who have been employed in the previous three years from the 66,000 annual visa cap. These temporary, documented workers offer a labor supply where it is not readily available.
This relief is set to expire this Sunday - October 1, 2006. The companion bills introduced in the Senate (S. 2284) by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Senator John Warner (R-VA) and by Congressmen Charlie Bass (R-NH), Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Bill Delahunt (D-MA) in the House (H.R. 4740), will extend relief by an additional one year until 2007.
The National Restaurant Association has been a leader in the efforts put forth by the H-2B Workforce Coalition to extend relief for small businesses.
"The H-2B visa legislation is an important short-term solution that allows small businesses to remain viable until a long-term comprehensive solution can be completed," said Mike Shutley, director of legislative affairs for the Association and co-chair of the H-2B Workforce Coalition. "Extending the relief provision by one year will help a wide range of small businesses, including restaurants, which currently lack enough U.S. workers to fill job vacancies. However, Congress will need to act again soon to ensure that the deadline is extended beyond 2007."
"We applaud the persistent efforts of bill sponsors Senators Mikulski and Warner and Congressmen Bass, Gilchrest and Delahunt for their leadership in introducing this critical legislation in support of our nation's small business employers," said Shutley. "We urge the Senate to act quickly to pass this much-needed reform."
The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 925,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 12.5 million employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit their Web site at www.restaurant.org.
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