URGENT: Contact your House and Senator Member and urge them to support a fix to the H-2B guestworker visa program.

As we begin to focus on what opportunities are ahead in the new year and with the new Congress, FRA would like to take a brief look back over 2018 on the policy front. It was a year with several key issues relevant to the forest products industry coming together and remaining active at the end of the year. From continued guestworker visa reform efforts to ensure there are workers available to plant trees for a stable and sustainable fiber supply, opportunities to grow the industry’s footprint with the passage of the Farm Bill, and the continued focus to address transportation challenges, below are some of the key highlights.

FRA continues to work with the H-2B Coalition to increase the availability of H-2B visas. On January 23, in an effort led by Senator Tillis (R-NC) and Representative Harris (R-MD), a letter was delivered to House and Senate leadership requesting that any agreement ending the partial federal government shutdown include a legislative solution to the H-2B guestworker visa program.

Today marks Day 28 of the partial federal government shutdown. Congressional leadership has cancelled the scheduled recess for next week to ensure that principals are in town should negotiations materialize.