Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would modernize and restructure the H‑2A nonimmigrant visa program to centralize authority, speed up hiring, and set new wage, housing, and worker-protection rules. It moves primary program authority to the Department of Homeland Security and creates a national online job registry run by the Department of Labor.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Limited H-2A status waiver for workers
This bill would create a narrow waiver to let some otherwise ineligible people get H-2A status. To qualify, a person must either have voluntarily departed the United States, or have been unlawfully present on May 31, 2026 and done at least 5.75 hours of agricultural work on each of at least 180 days in the two years before enactment. The waiver would only cover unlawful conduct related to getting farm work and would not apply to getting public benefits. It would take effect one year after enactment.
Limits on employer housing charges
This bill would require employers to provide H-2A housing that meets health and safety standards. Labor would inspect and certify housing and delegations to States would be allowed. Job offers would have to disclose any daily housing charge. The maximum daily housing charge would equal the Statewide average fair market rent for a 4‑bedroom unit (HUD data) divided by 240. Housing certifications could last up to three years.
Employment records and legal protections
This bill would require employers to give a written record of employment to an H-2A applicant who asks. Employers could keep employing that person while the H-2A application is pending without violating certain work‑authorization rules. Papers given for the H-2A application generally could not be used to prosecute the employer for prior unlawful hiring, unless the papers are fraudulent. These rules would take effect one year after enactment.
Contract rules for disasters
This bill would let an H-2A employer end contracts early when natural disasters or similar events make performance impossible. Employers would have to try to transfer workers to comparable allowed jobs acceptable to the worker. Employers must notify Labor and Agriculture within 72 hours and explain why the contract ended. The change would take effect one year after enactment.
New H-2A certification and transfer rules
This bill would change how H-2A labor certifications and renewals work. DOL would decide certifications at least 30 days before work starts if recruitment rules were followed. Certifications could cover up to three consecutive years. Employers could post and file for a subsequent H-2A period starting 90 days before the current period ends; DHS must approve unless there are big changes or violations. Employers could list staggered start/end dates within 180 days and set normal local job qualifications. Permitted filers and member liability rules would be clarified, and permitted filers would not have weekly hour minimums or maximums for each member employer, though each member must employ a worker at least one hour every 30 days. Transfers to a new H-2A employer could begin when a non-frivolous transfer petition is filed.
Faster H-2A filing portal, new fees
This bill would require DHS and DOL to build a single online portal for H-2A filings. DHS would handle H-2A adjudication, must act on petitions within 15 days, and could charge fees to recover DHS and DOL processing costs. Agencies could issue interim final rules when the changes take effect one year after enactment. H-2A processing would be treated as essential and continue during any government funding lapse.
Required heat-illness prevention plans
This bill would require employers of H-2A workers to keep a written heat-illness prevention plan. The plan would include training, access to water and shade, breaks, and emergency procedures. Employers would have to post the plan at worksites and give it to workers before they start in English and, when many workers are not fluent in English, in another language. The rule would take effect one year after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
PA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
WA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2]
ID • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Feenstra, Randy [R-IA-4]
IA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
NC • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Kelly (MS)
MS • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15]
TX • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Maloy
UT • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1]
MT • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23]
NY • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
IN • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11]
PA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]
TX • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Fedorchak, Julie [R-ND-At Large]
ND • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]
NY • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3]
AL • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16]
PA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9]
PA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2]
MI • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]
CO • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
SC • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8]
TN • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Edwards
NC • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Lee (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]
OH • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Allen
GA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]
MN • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4]
MI • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
KY • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
WI • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]
GA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
MN • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]
FL • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Bentz, Cliff [R-OR-2]
OR • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
CA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]
TX • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12]
IL • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8]
IN • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
IA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Jack, Brian [R-GA-3]
GA • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]
IL • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14]
NC • R
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov