Federal

Commercial Fishing and Seafood Business Act of 2023

Source: Congress.gov · 344 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill amends an existing 2005 law to exempt certain workers in the commercial fishing and seafood industry from numerical caps on temporary foreign workers. The bill allows more workers to be hired in commercial fishing and seafood processing without counting against federal limits on these temporary visas.

Who It Affects

Foreign workers seeking temporary employment in commercial fishing and seafood processing, commercial fishing vessel operators, shrimp trawler operators, and seafood processing businesses.

Key Provisions

• Foreign workers employed or offered employment on commercial fishing vessels or shrimp trawlers are exempted from numerical limitations on H-2B visas (a temporary worker visa category) (Sec. 2) • Foreign workers employed or offered employment in processing fish, fishery products or baitfish are exempted from numerical limitations on H-2B visas (Sec. 2) • Terms used in the law have the meanings given in section 123.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (Sec. 2)

What Changes

If this becomes law, the numerical cap (a limit on how many visas can be issued) that currently applies to H-2B temporary workers will no longer apply to workers in commercial fishing, shrimp trawling or seafood processing jobs.

Important Definitions

None defined in the bill text. The bill references definitions located in a separate federal regulation.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 614 To amend the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to provide for the inclusion of certain workers in the exemption from numerical limitations on H–2B workers, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 27, 2023 Mr. WITTMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 to provide for the inclusion of certain workers in the exemption from numerical limitations on H–2B workers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commercial Fishing 4 and Seafood Business Act of 2023’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Feb 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H614.IH H614 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 614 IH SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF CERTAIN WORKERS IN EXEMPTION 1 FROM NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS ON H–2B 2 WORKERS. 3 Section 14006 of the Department of Defense Appro- 4 priations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–287) is amended to 5 read as follows: 6 ‘‘SEC. 14006. The numerical limitation contained in 7 section 214(g)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality 8 Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(1)(B)) shall not apply to any non- 9 immigrant alien issued a visa or otherwise provided status 10 under section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 11 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b)) who is employed (or has received 12 an offer of employment)— 13 ‘‘(1) on a commercial fishing vessel or shrimp 14 trawler; or 15 ‘‘(2) in the processing of— 16 ‘‘(A) fish or fishery products; or 17 ‘‘(B) baitfish. 18 Terms used in this section have the meanings given such 19 terms in section 123.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regula- 20 tions.’’. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:24 Feb 12, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H614.IH H614 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.