# What This Bill Does

Right now, the H-2A program is run by the Department of Labor. This program allows American farmers and agricultural businesses to hire temporary workers from other countries when they can't find enough workers in the United States. The bill would move control of this entire program from the Labor Department to the Department of Agriculture instead.

The change would happen 60 days after the bill becomes law. When it does, the Labor Department would have to hand over all the people, money, and materials needed to run the H-2A program to the Agriculture Department. The bill also makes a related change by shifting some oversight responsibilities from the Attorney General to the Department of Homeland Security.

**Who this affects:** Farmers and agricultural employers would notice the most direct impact, since they'd be dealing with a different government agency to hire temporary workers. The process for applying for H-2A workers, getting approvals, and managing the program would move to USDA instead of the Labor Department. Workers in the agricultural industry—both American workers and temporary foreign workers—could be affected depending on how the Agriculture Department chooses to run the program differently than Labor did. The bill doesn't change the rules about who can be hired or how many workers can come in; it just changes which agency manages it.

The reasoning behind the shift is that since the H-2A program is specifically for agriculture, supporters argue it makes sense to have the Agriculture Department handle it rather than the Labor Department. Critics might worry about whether USDA has the right expertise in labor and worker protections compared to the Labor Department.

Moving H–2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023

Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]

Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2023 This bill moves administration of the H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture.