The U.S. House of Representatives may vote on June 27 on a compromise immigration bill that includes a permanent returning-worker exemption and mandates that employers use E-Verify to confirm the work eligibility of new employees, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).

The bill is formally called H.R. 6136, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018.

“We have been working hard for a permanent H-2B returning-worker exemption to bring back the seasonal workers that our members rely on,” said Missy Henriksen, NALP’s vice president of public affairs. “This is exactly the bill we need, but we need people to act now to show Congress how important this is to American businesses.”

NALP urges landscape professionals to call or email their representatives today and ask them to vote yes on the bill.

The House may scrap plans to vote on the bill if it can’t garner the support needed for passage, but overwhelming support from the industry could help achieve a vote on permanent H-2B cap relief, according to NALP officials.

The amended version of the bill—offered by this morning by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Calif.)—would also create a new agricultural temporary worker program, supply nearly $25 billion for a border wall and provide continued legal status for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, among other things.

Landscapers can reach their representative through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121. Once connected to the office, they can ask to speak to the staff person who handles immigration issues.

Contact information for legislators can also be found through a tool in NALP’s Legislative Action Center.