PLANET supports H-2B extension

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the national trade association representing landscape and lawn service companies, is asking its members to support a new Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act.

Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) recently introduced legislation to enact a 3-year extension for the Act. Senators joining as co-sponsors include: Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD), John F. Kerry (D-MA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), James M. Jeffords (I-VT), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Warner and George Allen (both R-VA). Congressman Charles Bass (R-NH) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House.

PLANET is asking its members to contact their senators and representatives and urge them to support the Act.

The original Act, signed in May 2005 by President George W. Bush, is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2006. It exempts returning seasonal workers from counting against the national cap of 66,000 people, contains new anti-fraud provisions and splits the allocation of H2B visas among spring and summer employees.

The first cap exemption provided significant relief to the landscape industry, which relies heavily upon seasonal workers.

"I promised small businesses they could count on me to keep fighting until we had a solution and they had the seasonal workers they needed to stay in business. My promises made are promises kept," said Senator Mikulski. "This extension is necessary to make sure that small, seasonal businesses don't run into the same crisis they faced last year - unable to get the workers they need to survive their season. Without these seasonal workers, many businesses could be forced to limit services, lay off permanent U.S. workers or, worse yet, close their doors."

The Senator took up this cause after learning that many businesses across the country, and particularly in Maryland, were unable to obtain temporary, documented, seasonal, foreign workers through the H2B program. For the second year in a row, the H-2B visa cap of 66,000 was reached just a few months into the 2005 fiscal year. Because companies are not allowed to apply for workers more than 120 days before they are needed, many Maryland businesses - that need about 7,700 workers - were unable to apply for visas before the cap was reached.

How To Help

Here are the steps that PLANET recommends you take to make yourself heard in advancing the passage of the Save Our Seasonal and Small Businesses Act:

• Phone, email and fax your support of this bill to your U.S. representative and your two U.S. senators. After sending your letter through the PLANET Web site, print it out on your letterhead, and fax it. The fax number will appear on your letter. Personal letters are much more meaningful, so try to add some personal information on how the lack of H-2B workers impacts your business.
• Call your representative and two senators and ask to speak to the staff person in charge of immigration issues.
• Write to your governor, and call his/her office and speak to the staff person in charge of immigration issues. Ask them to encourage the White Hosue and Congress to address the H-2B issue.
• Motivate your employees to personally contact their members of Congress and senators, as well.
• Talk to other employers and your suppliers in your area and motivate them to call and write to Congress.