The Honorable Tim Bishop
One Minute Statement
January 15, 2008

Madame Speaker, I rise to call upon my leadership to address an urgent need in my district and affecting other areas across the country.

Two weeks ago, the cap on H-2B immigration visas for migrant and seasonal workers was reached. Consequently, many family-owned small businesses that depend on such employees will be without the workforce they need to stay in business.

Like many of my colleagues who recognize the importance of H-2B visas to our economy, I support raising the cap permanently and incorporating this change into broader immigration reform. Regrettably, partisanship and political obstacles to broader reform were made evident when the Senate debated it last year.

Therefore, we must resolve to enact those smaller-scale remedies we can agree upon today – in order to alleviate the burden our broken immigration system imposes upon our businesses – as we continue addressing the security and economic challenges required to enact broader reform.

Meanwhile, Madame Speaker, in the absence of such a consensus, I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me in supporting and calling for a vote on H.R. 1843, the “Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act,” introduced by the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Stupak. We cannot leave small businesses who want to do the right thing with the unacceptable choice of going out of business or hiring illegal workers.
I yield back the balance of my time.