Early this morning President Trump signed into law a temporary spending measure to fund the federal government through March 23. The bill does not include any H-2B cap relief.

Congress is expected to use the next six weeks to negotiate a final spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2018. It is essential that lawmakers include H-2B cap relief in the year-end spending bill. We know you have reached out repeatedly to your lawmakers, but we need you to do so again and stress the urgent need for H-2B cap relief.

Specifically, we hope you will take the following actions:

• Please call your Representative and Senators at their Washington, DC offices and stress the need for immediate cap relief. You can reach your elected officials through the Capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121. Once connected to the office ask to speak to the staff person who handles H-2B issues. Find your Colorado representatives.
• Tell them that they must include H-2B cap relief in the omnibus appropriations bill that will be negotiated between now and March 23. Stress the fact that 60% of businesses' seasonal labor needs will go unfulfilled this spring without immediate action. Explain the specific impacts on your business and your American workforce if you cannot hire H-2B workers. You may also share this letter to Congressional leaders that shows the widespread support for H-2B cap relief.
• Urge your Senators and Representative to speak to their party leaders about the need for immediate H-2B cap relief.
• If they have not already done so, encourage your Senators to co-sponsor the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act. S. 792, the Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2017 and encourage your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 2004, the Strengthen Employment and Seasonal Opportunities Now (SEASON) Act and HR 4207, the Small and Seasonal Business Act.
• Please call or visit in person with your Senators and Representatives at their district offices. You can find the local contact information for your Senators and Representative in this document, on their websites or through www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.
• Tweet at your Representative and Senators about the need for immediate cap relief using #SaveH2B. You can find their twitter address at https://twitter.com/verified/lists/us-congress/members. Follow @cogreennow for sample tweets.
• Encourage your co-workers, suppliers, and customers to also reach out to their elected officials.
• Please also call and email the USCIS Ombudsman's office and encourage the Department of Homeland Security to support H-2B cap relief.  The email address is [email protected] and the phone number is 1-855-882-8100.

We know it is extremely frustrating and time-consuming to repeatedly make phone calls and visit your elected officials, but we will not succeed in getting cap relief signed into law unless everyone continues to take the time to weigh in with their lawmakers.  

Read the letter to House and Senate leaders.

Read the letter to chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee.