A Republican-backed agricultural labor bill is drawing mixed reactions as lawmakers debate changes to the H-2A farmworker program. The Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act would expand H-2A access for year-round employers such as dairy and livestock operations, allow labor certifications to last up to three years, reduce some program fees, and limit large year-to-year wage increases. The most controversial provision would allow certain undocumented agricultural workers already employed on U.S. farms to apply for temporary legal status through the H-2A program. Newsweek reports that supporters say the proposal would move existing workers into a legal workforce without creating a pathway to citizenship, while critics argue it amounts to amnesty. House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson says the legislation is designed to address longstanding labor shortages facing agriculture. Farm groups have long called for reforms, saying year-round livestock and dairy operations need a more flexible and dependable agricultural workforce.
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