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Save Small Business Supporters
Hank Lavery
Millennium Pools
President
Jack Brooks
J.M. Clayton Seafood
Vice President
Mark Hjelle
Secretary
The Brickman Group
Libby Whitley
Director
Mid-Atlantic Solutions, Inc.
Daniel Musser
Director
The Grand Hotel
Download Talking Points for the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009.
S. 388 — Sponsor: Barbara Mikulski [MD]
H.R. 1136 — Sponsor: Rep Stupak [MI-1]
SAVE SMALL BUSINESS
Save American Jobs – Restore H-2B
Action Update: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
“I’m committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as president of the United States,” Obama said. – Roll Call 6.19.09
Dear Friends,
I am writing today with renewed hope that lawmakers will seriously address the H-2B Program and find a solution to this crisis. On Thursday, June 25, President Obama has announced that he will host a small group of House and Senate lawmakers to start discussions on Immigration Reform. While we understand that it might be extremely difficult to bring an Immigration bill to a vote this year, this could be a huge step in the right direction. At the end of this message you can read an article from Roll Call Magazine summarizing the situation.
Today I have a few items to share with you:
CHARGE ON & GET IT DONE!
Hank Lavery
President
Save Small Business
Lawmakers Gear Up for Immigration Meeting With Obama
By Jennifer Bendery, Roll Call Staff, June 19, 2009, 7:20 p.m.
Backers of comprehensive immigration reform are gearing up for their first big meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday, although it remains to be seen who will be attending and what will come of the bipartisan huddle.
Obama is hosting a small group of House and Senate lawmakers to begin discussions on the issue. Like Congressional leaders, Obama has signaled a desire to address the politically volatile issue but has given little detail on when or how to do so.
The meeting has been postponed twice over the past several weeks, causing some stakeholders to worry about Obama’s will to advance the issue anytime soon.
Details of the meeting remain hazy. Key lawmakers still don’t know if they are invited or what to expect from the gathering.
“Was I invited?” Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairman Mike Honda (D-Calif.) asked.
Honda said — if he is in the meeting — he will press for his immigration bill to be attached “intact” to any overarching strategy. Honda’s bill, which he describes as “the heart of comprehensive immigration reform,” would make it easier for spouses and children of green-card holders to be reunited.
Other stakeholders are hoping the meeting sheds light on the more tactical aspects of immigration reform.
“Legislative timetable and strategy and that’s it,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas), a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. “I think everybody knows the essential moving parts of a comprehensive bill since we’ve dealt with it for so many years.”
On Friday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the goal of the meeting is to further discussions on the issue, not to lay out plans for moving legislation anytime soon.
“We know the votes aren’t there right now,” Gibbs said. “In 2005 and 2006, even in 2007, there was not a majority yet to do this. We want to work with those both in favor and in support of those previous efforts to see where we can get comprehensive immigration reform to pass.”
Since the votes are not there, Gibbs said, there must be more dialogue between people with competing interests. “Keep in mind that there will be people at the White House next week that don’t agree with where the president and others are,” he said.
Obama renewed his promise to act on comprehensive immigration reform — and drew cheers and applause — during remarks at the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast on Friday.
“I’m committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as president of the United States,” Obama said.
Obama highlighted the need to strengthen border security as well as clarify the status of the millions of illegal immigrants in the country, “many who have put down roots.”
“For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line, behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical and promising way forward. And that’s what I’m committed to passing as president of the United States,” Obama said.
Obama’s plug for immigration reform also triggered a renewed commitment on the Hill.
“President Obama’s commitment to passing comprehensive immigration reform is strong and I believe we are already making significant headway. We are exploring the fundamental building blocks for a strong, fair, and bipartisan proposal and will pursue it with all deliberate speed,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
Speaking at the same event, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said she is open to ideas about how to incorporate immigration reforms into homeland security policies.
“We have to come down to one basic principle,” Napolitano said. “Everybody ... has to agree and believe that we begin with immigration with the concept that it is an embodiment of the rule of law and that the rule of law will be fully and fairly and effectively applied across the spectrum.”
http://www.rollcall.com/news/36088-1.html
East End businesses hiring from near and far
BY KEIKO MORRIS | keiko.morris@newsday.com
9:12 PM EDT, June 22, 2009
Hiring for the summer season is typically an intense and competitive affair
for establishments on the East End, but this year employers said the recession
has helped ease some of the usual recruitment stresses.
Just how much of an upside a down economy can bring a business in the hospitality industry or a related field depends a lot on geography, the job offered, the availability of affordable housing for workers and the relative ease and costs of a daily commute. While some restaurants and inns in the Hamptons and on the North Fork have received massive responses - including some from laid-off financial executives - to online job ads, several Montauk employers continue to rely heavily on foreign students and workers.
That means employers like Gurney's Inn Resort & Spa in Montauk still have had to hustle to find additional summer workers, drawing their staff from foreign student visa programs, temporary guest worker programs, domestic internships and, this year, workers from Puerto Rico.
Others, including Mark Smith, owner and operator of several East End restaurants, are fielding applications from MBA graduates as well as veteran waiters who would not typically seek jobs out east.
Last summer and in summers past when business was unbelievable everywhere, it was hard to compete with the city in terms of wages and because the labor pool was very small and because everybody was gainfully employed," Smith said. "So in that respect, a lot more people are looking for work, unfortunately for them and fortunately for the industry out here."
East End businesses said they are seeing a larger pool of applicants, among them displaced workers from New York City's hospitality industry, and that it has become commonplace to be inundated with responses to ads.
The Mill House Inn in East Hampton placed an ad recently and got more than 100 responses for a part-time night position. A February ad for a group of openings - from front desk staff and chef to house manager - generated more than 300 responses.
"Usually we will not get even 100," said Lee Ellis, general manager of the inn. "Usually our responses are concentrated in a local area. This time it went all the way back up island to Nassau and mid-island."
Restaurateurs in particular have reported receiving numerous applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, many of them with little or no related experience.
Smith, whose group owns Nick & Toni's and Rowdy Hall in East Hampton, notes that while job seekers span all industries, he has seen quite a few applications from those who used to work in the financial sector.
"We actually had a guy who was the CEO of a $30-million company who was married and has kids," Smith said. "The company went under. He was a waiter back in the day and was looking for waiting or bartending positions. It was a really sad commentary on what's going on out there."
Many Montauk businesses tied to the resort industry have found themselves in a tough spot in the past 18 months in terms of seasonal hiring. For several years they depended heavily upon the H2B visa program, which allows employers to hire foreign employees on a temporary visa after certifying that they were not able to fill those posts with native workers. The government caps the visas at 66,000 but for many years provided an exemption that did not count against the cap.
Since the end of 2007, Congress has failed to renew the exemption, causing a shortage of seasonal workers for Montauk's resort establishments.
"It's always the same problem. The non-glamorous jobs such as cleaning rooms and washing dishes and groundskeepers and night porters are just not jobs that unemployed American workers feel that they should be doing," said Paul Monte, chief executive and general manager of Gurney's.
Merle Aaron, owner of the Harborside Motel in Montauk, was unable to hire anyone on the H2B program in 2008. The same happened this year, although she did hire someone outside of the program. Slow business under these conditions might not be so bad, Aaron said.
"The upside to this is that business is so bad that I don't need any workers," she said. "Last year I was doing housework and laundry. I was running myself ragged. . . . If business picks up, I could find myself in the same situation."
http://www.newsday.com/community/news/hamptons/ny-bzjobs2312873121jun22,0,6881391.story
Our Say: Congress' inaction strangling longtime Maryland industry
Published 06/18/09
Sunday's story about crab-picking houses in Dorchester County showed that these venerable Eastern Shore businesses are closing their doors because of a labor shortage. This, in turn, hurts their suppliers - the watermen.
But the labor shortage is artificial. Many experienced seasonal workers who have done this job before are ready and eager to do it again. The problem: Those workers are mostly in Mexico. They can't come to Maryland because Congress won't fix an outdated and arbitrary program: H2B visas.
Picking the meat out of a crab is a difficult, tedious job - seasonal work, not well paid, and generally done in isolated rural locations. For many generations, the job was done by local people. But as the economy diversified, education improved and the Eastern Shore became less isolated, the work became less attractive. Women could get better jobs, and the region's high school graduates began leaving the area.
So the local crab-processing industry began leaning more heavily on imported employees, using H2B visas that allow such workers to enter the United States for temporary nonagricultural jobs. A crab-picker's wages are better than workers from Mexico can earn at home; they send the extra money home, or use it to buy goods for their families in local stores. A University of Maryland study estimated that every H2B worker saved or created 2.5 American jobs.
The problem is that the number of H2B workers each year is capped at 66,000 - the number Congress apparently picked out of a hat in 1990. And visas are administered under a cumbersome system that doesn't allow employers to file a request more than 120 days before workers are needed. If other seasonal businesses snap up the 66,000 first, the Eastern Shore seafood houses are out of luck.
This year, they're out of luck - and out of business.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., has long pushed to get returning H2B workers exempted from the 66,000 ceiling; a measure she introduced was signed into law in 2005. Unfortunately, it isn't permanent. Mikulski got the law extended in 2006 and 2007, but her attempt to tack another extension onto a 2008 appropriations bill failed. So far, her 2009 bill to extend the exemption three more years hasn't gotten traction.
As Sunday's story showed, foreign workers at crab-processing plants are not taking jobs from Americans. Strenuous efforts to recruit and train local people have failed. Without the foreign workers, the plants can't be opened, and the few local workers who want the jobs can't be employed.
The Eastern Shore's congressman, Frank Kratovil, notes that some of his colleagues don't want piecemeal adjustments to immigration laws because they favor comprehensive reform. We favor such reform, too - but don't think that, in the meantime, an industry should be killed because of Congress' dithering.
We urge Mikulski, Kratovil and other Maryland legislators to keep working on cleaning up the H2B mess before it's too late for this traditional Maryland industry.
Attachments:
PDF File: H-2B No Show Regs
Word Doc: Governor Association Letter
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
FEATURES STORY
ABOUT H-2B CRISIS
Dear Friends:
I have never underestimated the determination and drive of our SSB members. Truly we are a team working in sync to accomplish one goal: H-2B relief! This has been demonstrated by many members time after time.
In fact, SSB members were successful in getting Tom Brokaw (yes, THE Tom Brokaw,known as America’s “most trusted individual”) to report two stories about how the H-2B crisis is killing the crabbing industry on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS AIRS STORY ABOUT J.M. CLAYTON CO.:
The first story aired last night on NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams which featured SSB member Jack Brooks being interviewed by veteran anchor Tom Brokaw. The story is part of an on-going series called American Character, highlighting towns and people along Route 50 in Maryland all the way to Route 50 in California running on the USA Network in 2009.
In the story, Jack eloquently explains how the shortage of seasonal workers has had a devastating impact on his century-old company and all of the crab houses that are the backbone of Maryland and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The piece also features perhaps our strongest supporter, Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD), sponsor of The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Bill (S.388). Once again Sen Mikulski persuasively answers her critics about how this industry cannot survive without passage of this legislation.
USA NETWORK AIRS STORY ABOUT SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS IN CAMBRIDGE,
MD:
The second story airing during May on the USA Network as part of the American Character series is a piece about fulfilling an American dream for a young entrepreneur opening a seafood restaurant in Cambridge, Maryland. Once again, a key element of the story is the supply of crabs from, you guessed it, J.M. Clayton Seafood! It portrays how vital this industry is to the success of not only small and upcoming businesses, but to a community in itself.
HERE ARE THE LINKS:
CONGRESSIONAL INACTION IS IN-EXCUS-ABLE!:
I am as frustrated as you are about the inaction of Congress in addressing our issue. One word comes to mind: inexcusable. We are hearing from our contacts that our strongest supporters are working hard to get relief but have been hitting roadblocks until the Reform Bill is presented. When will that be? We are hearing soon, but yet again we have been hearing that for a while.
WHAT CAN WE DO? WE ARE TIRED OF CONGRESS DOING NOTHING!
All I can tell you is it comes down to grassroots efforts. Just like the stories featured on NBC and USA, these are grassroots stories and issues. It will take the squeaky wheel getting through to bureaucrats: WE NEED H-2B RELIEF OR WE WILL LOSE OUR FULL-TIME AMERICAN WORKERS. EVEN WORSE WE WILL LOSE OUR BUSINESSES AND MORE THAN LIKELY OUR HOMES.!
OKAY, HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED?
• What should you do next?
Continue to convert the 2008 Co-Sponsors into becoming 2009 Co-Sponsors. We have had some movement but we need to move more aggressively. Here is the latest:
CO-SPONSORS
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 87 | 72 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html
| Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 5/11/2009 | Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] - 5/6/2009 |
| Rep Blunt, Roy [MO-7] - 5/11/2009 | Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 5/6/2009 |
| Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 4/2/2009 | Rep Connolly, Gerald E. "Gerry" [VA-11] - 5/11/2009 |
| Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 5/19/2009 | Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 4/2/2009 |
| Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] - 4/2/2009 | Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6] - 5/19/2009 |
| Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 5/6/2009 | Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] - 5/11/2009 |
| Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14] - 5/19/2009 | Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] - 5/6/2009 |
| Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 5/6/2009 | Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] - 5/11/2009 |
| Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] - 5/6/2009 | Rep Simpson, Michael K. [ID-2] - 5/6/2009 |
| Rep Stupak, Bart [MI-1] - 4/2/2009 | Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 5/6/2009 |
| Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 5/19/2009 | Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] - 4/2/2009 |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01934:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
1. What do you tell your elected officials?
2. How do I know if my Senators and Reps supported the 2008 Bills?
As I sign off today I would like to credit Jack Brooks and his amazing staff
at J.M. Clayton’s. It has been a very difficult time for Jack and
the other seafood businesses in Maryland just to keep their businesses open.
Throughout this all, Jack has never backed down in his efforts to get H-2B
relief passed for all of us, whether we are from Maryland, Missouri or Montana.
Jack, Congratulations for putting this issue in front of millions of Americans
who watch NBC News and the USA Network who now have a better understanding
of why H-2B Relief is vital to the stability of our economy.
Who knows? Perhaps your story also fits into the American Character series
with Tom Brokaw, or you want to comment on the stories at the MSNBC or USA
Network websites. At the very least, since Tom Brokaw is known to and trusted
by virtually every American, please make sure to the Brokaw stories to your
friends, elected officials and everyone else who cares about the future
our country and the future of America’s small and seasonal businesses.
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
President
Save Small Business
WASHINGTON CONTACT INFORMATION:
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121
(The Capitol Switchboard will connect you to your Senator or Representative's office)
Websites:
Congressional Information www.congress.org
House of Representatives www.house.gov
U.S. Senate www.senate.gov
Visitor Information http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
Phone Lists: http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
WANT H-2B RELIEF?
GOVERNOR KAINE
NEEDS YOU TO CALL YOUR GOVERNOR NOW!
Dear Friends:
Governor Tim Kaine (VA), Chairman of the National Democratic Party, has asked Save Small Business members to contact their respective Governor. What for? A push for H-2B Relief. It is our understanding that if enough governors recognize the seriousness of the H-2B issue, and take action by contacting Governor Kaine, he believes he can lead an initiative lead by governors to convince President Obama and Congress of the desperate need for the returning worker exemption. This effort has been spearheaded by grassroots activities by a number of the SSB Virginia Seafood members - THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS!
It is essential that Governor Kaine's office hear from as many Governors as possible! Please have your Governor or a staff member contact Governor Kaine's office by emailing Melinda Glazer melinda and Alfonso Lopez. For those of you who are already communicating with your governor directly, please ask them to get in touch NOW! If you have not communicated with your Governor before, please do so NOW! Once again, the focus is on the Senator Mikulski Bill (S.388) and Representative Stupak Bill (H.R.1136). Perhaps Congress will finally see the light and take action NOW!
I have attached an excel sheet summarizing state and co-sponsor support for our bills in 2008 & 2009. Below is a comparison by numbers and a link to the Thomas website detailing support.
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 87 | 72 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 5/11/2009
Rep Bishop, Rob [UT-1] - 5/6/2009
Rep Blunt, Roy [MO-7] - 5/11/2009
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 5/6/2009
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 4/2/2009
Rep Connolly, Gerald E. "Gerry" [VA-11] - 5/11/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 4/2/2009
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] - 4/2/2009
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 5/6/2009
Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] - 5/11/2009
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] - 5/6/2009
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2] - 5/6/2009
Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] - 5/11/2009
Rep
Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] - 5/6/2009
Rep Simpson, Michael K. [ID-2] - 5/6/2009
Rep Stupak, Bart [MI-1] - 4/2/2009
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] -5/6/2009
Rep Wittman, Robert J. [VA-1] - 4/2/2009
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01934:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
What else am I hearing from SSB members regarding their desperate need for workers?
Unfortunately as you would expect I am not hearing good news about the longevity of a number of businesses. With empathy and graciousness for this member’s honesty, I pass along his story.
“Lack of workers has forced me to drop my mowing clients.”
Jimmy Thomas, SSB Member & Landscape Owner, San Antonio, TX
This is a major change in Mr. Thomas’ business plan and ultimately costing him thousands of dollars in revenue. Because he could not get staff for his mowing business, his lawn chemical and fertilizer clients have been adversely affected as the understaffed mowing business consumed his time. He had been using a reliable H-2B staff for 7 years.
Jimmy Thomas, we feel for you, and wish you the best of luck trying to replace your lost revenue. BTW, Mr. Thomas was able to organize H-2B Conference Calls with his two Texas Senators ultimately resulting in Senator John Cornyn signing on as a Co-Sponsor. Very key since Senator Cornyn was not previously a Co-Sponsor.
Even if you got your workers this year, at this pace we will all be in serious jeopardy of not getting our workers next year without cap relief. Our backs continue to be up against the wall. And Congress still JUST DOES NOT GET IT.
Until next time…
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
President
Save Small Business
WASHINGTON CONTACT INFORMATION:
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121
(The Capitol Switchboard will connect you to your Senator or Representative's office)
Websites:
Congressional Information www.congress.org
House of Representatives www.house.gov
U.S. Senate www.senate.gov
Visitor Information http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
Phone Lists: http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
MESSAGE FROM REP KRATOVIL:
"CONGRESS NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU!"
Dear Friends:
I am writing to you today at the request of Freshman Congressman Frank Kratovil (MD-1st) who has been an incredible leader for H-2B Relief since the day he was inaugurated back in January. He has been exploring long term fixes, short term fixes and other visa programs that H-2B is not normally associated with. Truly he and his staff have left no stone unturned. As you are aware, he is the Sponsor of H.R.1934.In that spirit, Congressman Kratovil is working aggressively with other Congressional members to get relief NOW! He believes that with support from Representatives across the states, he can get a short term fix to enable companies who were locked out of the H-2B Program to salvage the 2009 season.
Rep Kratovil has requested that each and every one of you reach out to your Reps - every single member in your home state or states where you do business - and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 1934 and fight hard to push it through. He has assured us that this will be the only tactic to get relief ASAP! I have attached to this email a copy of a letter written by Rep Kratovil which he is sending out to his colleagues urging them to become a co-sponsor.
We have been told by our contacts on Capitol Hill that Senator Mikulski, sponsor of S.388, and Congressman Bart Stupak, sponsor of H.R.1136, are steadfast about getting relief as well. In a perfect world we would not settle for a one-year fix. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. A one year fix would certainly help the vast majority of you save your season. With that in mind, it is hard to stand in the way of progress.
Rest assured the 123 House and Senate Co-Sponsors will not back down even if H.R.1934 is passed. In fact, Rep Stupak and Rep Delahunt's signatures are on the letter drafted by Rep Kratovil. We are in this together.
Keep up your message of demanding H-2B relief now. Tell your Senators and Representatives that Congress must pass the Save Small Business bill in order to ensure that you can stay open and pay your American workers. If you cannot talk to the elected official directly, ask for the Chief of Staff.
Remember many Representatives return home on weekends. Consider contacting their home office along with their DC office.
I have attached an excel sheet summarizing state and co-sponsor support for our bills in 2008 & 2009. Below is a comparison by numbers and a link to the Thomas website detailing support.
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 87 | 72 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html
My friends, Rep Kratovil's resilience shows us that we need to continue the fight!
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
President
Save Small Business
Attachment: Excel '08 & '09 Co-Sponsor State Summary
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121
(The Capitol Switchboard will connect you to your Senator or Representative's office)
Websites:
Congressional Information www.congress.org
House of Representatives www.house.gov
U.S. Senate www.senate.gov
Visitor Information http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
Phone Lists: http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
I am writing to you as Congress continues its boycott of finding a way out of the H-2B visa crisis. We have so much support from across the country – Democrats and Republicans – that the Save Small Business bill should have already easily passed Congress. But rather than passing the Bill, House leaders continue to hold it hostage. We just keep fighting.
NEW CO-SPONSORS FOR SAVE SMALL BUSINESS BILL
First, it is my honor to inform you that two more Representatives have signed on as Co-Sponsors of the 2009 Save Small Business Bill. They are:
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 87 | 72 to go to reach 2008 level |
Please reach out and thank our current Co-Sponsors. You should also contact those Representatives who are currently not Co-Sponsors especially those who were previously Co-Sponsors. Seriously this is the difference between getting our bill passed and just waiting on the sidelines.
Here is a link to the current list of Co-Sponsors:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html
STATUS OF PROPOSED H-2B REFORM BILL
Reports continue to emerge from Congress that Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the House Immigration Subcommittee, continues to be nearing the filing of an H-2B “Reform Bill” which is likely to include increased costs, more bureaucratic red tape, and changes in the definition of what positions and employers qualify for H-2B visas.
COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM MAY BE BACK WITH US
Last night during President Obama’s speech to America, he made the following statement about Comprehensive Immigration Reform:
“I see the process moving this first year. And I'm going to be moving it as quickly as I can. I've been accused of doing too much. We are moving full steam ahead on all fronts. Ultimately, I don't have control of the legislative calendar, and so we're going to work with legislative leaders to see what we can do.”
Reported by Politico http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21919_Page2.html
Clearly President Obama is blazing the trail for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. In fact, today (Thursday, April 30) at 2:00 PM the Senate Immigration Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2009, Can We Do It and How?” Sen Charles Schumer (NY) is the Chair of the Subcommittee, and this is the first such hearing in the current Congress. In case you want to witness the spectacle, I have provided you with a link to Subcommittee’s website: http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3793
Remember, we all need to try to remain confident that somehow, someway, Congress will finally move on our issue and provide a path to the relief we all so desperately need and deserve.
CHARGE ON!
As the month of April comes to a close, I cannot help but express my frustration over why Congress will not give us the H-2B relief many of us so desperately need. You will be glad to learn that, despite all the negativity lately surrounding the program as demonstrated in last week’s anti-H2B hearing, five more Members of Congress have signed up to serve as Co-Sponsors of the 2009 Save Small Business bill. Read on.
1. Newest Co-Sponsors:
Please reach out to the following Members of Congress and thank them for signing on as Co-Sponsors.
Each of you who spent so much time helping these Members understand the importance of sponsoring the Save Small Business bill deserves kudos.
Here is an update on the current co-sponsorship situation of the Bill:
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 85 | 74 to go to reach 2008 level |
If your Representative and Senators are not yet Co-Sponsors, especially if they supported the Bill in the past, please work hard at convincing them to sign on. Here is the link for a current list of Co-Sponsors: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
2. SSB Kansas & Missouri Delegation – THANK YOU!
I would like to personally thank the SSB delegation from Kansas & Missouri, led by Bill Gordon of Signature Landscape, for visiting Capitol Hill last week. There is no doubt that their face-to-face meeting with Rep Cleaver last week, convinced him to re-sign once again. These individual grassroots efforts will make or break relief for us all.
3. H-2B “Reform Bill” Status:
We are hearing from our contacts in Washington that the H-2B “Reform Bill” is still on the verge of being filed by the House Immigration Subcommittee, again perhaps this week. We should not expect cap relief in this bill. We understand that the bill’s sponsors want to stick you with higher costs and fees, as well as a more complex process for you to work through.
4. H-2B Hearing by House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy Summary:
As predicted, Last Thursday’s Congressional Hearing led by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) focused on the few cases where foreign agents and US employers did not meet their burdens under the H-2B program. The witnesses did not unveil any new information, but reiterated their belief that Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security have failed to address complaints by H-2B workers.
Given the fact that newly-appointed Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has made remarks to the effect that “there’s a new Sherriff in town!,” enforcement can be expected to increase at all levels.
As we have stated continually through SSB’s existence, any abuse against foreign workers is wrong and should absolutely not be tolerated. But the few cases of abuse does not destroy the need or use of the program. There is abuse in every program administered by the US – all we need to do is read the newspapers and see stories of abuse (and corruption) by DHS border agents and government officials in most USG agencies. These problems have not been enough to do away with these agencies. Why then should the few cases of reported abuse in the H-2B program give critics the idea that the H-2B program should be closed down?
5. Will a hearing in support of H-2B be held?
Thanks to everyone who contacted us inquiring about how the panel for last week’s hearing was determined and initiated in the first place. Similar to last year’s hearings, it is entirely up to Congress and the individual committees as to when a hearing takes place and who gets to testify. One can never predict which issues get a hearing and which do not.
The Sponsors of the 2009 Save Small Bill, Senator Mikulski (MD) and Congressman Stupak (MI) are tirelessly fighting for an equal playing field and ultimately passage of our bill. Whether this translates into a hearing about how important the H-2B program is to America’s seasonal and small businesses remains to be seen.
My friends, we are facing a challenging time. Nevertheless, we must stay on our game. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need help in contacting any of your Representatives or Senators. Let’s make this happen by…
CHARGING ON!!
As I let you know on Monday, the House Oversight and Government Reform’s Domestic Policy Subcommittee indeed has decided to set its sights to discredit the H-2B program. The Subcommittee has scheduled a Hearing for Thursday, April 23 at 10:00 AM in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building. There will be two panels of witnesses, and it appears that the witnesses will likely compete against one another for airtime in voicing their hatred for the H-2B program.
The panel consists of:
Panel 1
Mr. Aby Karickathara Raju, Former H-2B Guestworker from India for Signal International LLC, Member of the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity
Mr. Miguel Angel Jovel Lopez, Former H-2B Guestworker from El Salvador for Cumberland Environmental Resources, Co., Member of the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity
Mr. Daniel Castellanos-Contreras, Former H-2B Guestworker from Peru for Decatur Hotels LLC, Organizer and Founding Member of the Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity
Panel 2
Mr. Saket Soni, Executive Director, New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial
Justice
Ms. Mary Bauer, Director, Immigrant Justice Project, Southern Poverty Law
Center
Ms. Catherine Ruckelshaus, Legal Co-Director, National Employment Law Project
Professor Patrick A. McLaughlin, Ph.D, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Here is a link to the Subcommittee’s website:
http://domesticpolicy.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2394
1. YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED NOW!
Call them and send your letters by fax. Visit www.house.gov for contact information for each House member’s office.
Domestic Policy Subcommittee Members |
Co-Sponsor 2009 |
Co-Sponsor 2008 |
Majority |
|
|
Dennis J. Kucinich (OH), Chairman- 10th |
no |
no |
Elijah Cummings (MD)- 7th |
yes |
yes |
John Tierney (MA)-6th |
no |
no |
Diane Watson (CA)-33rd |
no |
no |
Jim Cooper (TN)- 5th |
no |
no |
Patrick Kennedy (RI)- 1st |
yes |
yes |
Peter Welch (VT)- At Large |
yes |
yes |
Bill Foster (IL)- 14th |
no |
freshman |
|
|
|
Minority |
|
|
Jim Jordan (OH), Ranking Member- 4th |
no |
no |
Mark Souder (IN), Vice Ranking Member- 3rd |
no |
yes |
Dan Burton (IN)- 5th |
no |
no |
Michael Turner (OH)- 3rd |
no |
no |
Jeff Fortenberry (NE)- 1st |
no |
freshman |
Aaron Schock (IL)- 18th |
yes |
freshman |
2. YOU CAN WATCH TOMORROW
Tune in live on your computer to witness the Subcommittee hearing starting at 9:55 AM on Thursday. Here is the link to the Subcommittee’s website. On the site, just click onto “view the webcast:”
A link to the website will show up approximately 5 minutes before Hearing begins. For troubleshooting call: 202.225.5051.
As I sign off today, I ask that all of us stay focused and determined. Setbacks like this “hatefest” of H-2B are certainly frustrating, but fortunately they are just part of the process. You will hear back from me early next week. In the meantime….
Charge On!
It looks like Patriots Day (the holiday in Massachusetts and other states commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War) is looking like the beginning of “Attack H-2B Employers” week on Capitol Hill.
1. H-2B “Reform Bill” Expected to be filed this week:
We understand that the House Immigration Subcommittee could unveil its H-2B “reform” bill this week, and we have been advised to brace ourselves for substantially higher costs and major changes in the H-2B application process. We have also been informed that there is ZERO help to address the current H-2B crisis – all reform, this bill, with no relief.
Action Needed: Nothing at this point until the bill has been filed. Once the legislation has been unveiled, then we will all need to take a look at it in order to understand just what it will mean to the small and seasonal businesses struggling to make up for the absence of Americans who are willing and able to work in temporary seasonal jobs.
2. H-2B Hearing by House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy:
Yet another Congressional committee has entered the “let’s bash the H-2B program” sweepstakes. This time it is Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) and the Domestic Policy subcommittee, which will hold a hearing on Thursday to explore improving DOL’s enforcement of the rights of guest workers.
The Subcommittee has yet to reveal a list of witnesses, but we have been informed by Capitol Hill specialists that we should expect a major bashing of the program.
Action Needed: Look at the list of Subcommittee members below. If you are from the same state, please contact the Representative directly to let him or her know what the H-2B program means to you, how you treat your foreign workers the same as you do your American workers, and how your American workforce and the customers you serve depend on these temporary foreign workers. Call them and fax them letters.
If you will be around Washington, you may want to go to the Hearing yourself. You can try to speak to the Representatives before the Hearing, and then make sure that they represent your point of view during the proceedings.
Here are details of the Hearing and the Subcommittee members:
Thursday, April, 23 2009
Subcommittee on Domestic Policy
Dennis Kucinich, Chairman
Agenda: “The H-2B Guestworker Program and Improving the Department of Labor’s
Enforcement of the Rights of Guestworkers”
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Rayburn 2154
Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Subcommittee Members
Majority
Dennis J. Kucinich (OH), Chairman
Elijah Cummings (MD)
John Tierney (MA)
Diane Watson (CA)
Jim Cooper (TN)
Patrick Kennedy (RI)
Peter Welch (VT)
Bill Foster (IL)
Minority
Jim Jordan (OH), Ranking Member
Mark Souder (IN), Vice Ranking Member
Dan Burton (IN)
Michael Turner (OH)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE)
Aaron Schock (CA)
3. What are we hearing out there about relief anytime soon?
Our contacts inform us that labor and immigration issues are most definitely moving up in priority. At the end of this article you will find an article from The Wall Street Journal summarizing the current status of where immigration stands with the Obama Administration.
While there is no set timing or hearings at the moment, we have reason to believe that this will become a bigger issue within the next few months. None of this discussion will do anything for us right now since we need relief now. President Obama’s recent trip to Mexico demonstrates his commitment to addressing the complex immigration issue, but will it do anything for America’s seasonal businesses, their American workforce and the communities we serve?
4. What should you be doing regarding H-2B relief?
Continue to go after last year’s co-sponsors and get them to sign up as co-sponsors once again. If you are represented by a newly-elected Representative or Senator, make sure that they sign up as well.
Here is where we stand to date:
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 80 | 79 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
5. What about the Newest Bill: H.R.1934?
To date no movement has taken place on Representatives Kratovil and Conaway’s bill to extend the H-2B Worker Exemption through the end of the current Fiscal Year. They submitted this bill right before the break. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas
Members, it is early in the week. We will know more learning more as the week goes on. Until then REACH OUT TO THOSE CO-SPONSORS WHO HAVE NOT RE-SIGNED THIS YEAR. Please contact Claire Cassard for a full breakout of your state – do it today by emailing Ccassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org or calling 240.238.4412.
Let’s get it done.
CHARGE ON!
One step forward, one step back. We are hearing reports from Capitol Hill that, in spite of the fact that many in the Congressional leadership want to help us with getting immediate relief when they return on April 17, Congress is still so tied up with other issues that they may not be able to address America’s small and seasonal business crisis.
Meanwhile, as exemplified in the Baltimore Sun article featured below, an entire industry and county waiver on the brink of disaster as they face the reality of not having enough temporary and seasonal workers to stay afloat. Maryland and Virginia watermen, and the ancillary businesses they support, are literally on life support. We know from your calls and emails they are not alone as many of you face the same awful consequences.
Why Isn’t Help On The Way?
This is the million dollar question. We understand that there Hill support continues for S.388 and H.R.1136, as well as the new short-term fix submitted by Rep Kratovil, H.R.1934. With so much support, we still cannot understand why Congress refuses to pass such a simple fix to a terrible problem.
Is there Anything We Can Do To Expedite?
Your Representatives and Senators need to continue to hear from you while they are on break. Contact them in their district office and explain how they need to rectify this situation. You can get their contact information at www.house.gov or by calling 202.224.3121.
How many Co-Sponsors do we Have?
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 80 | 79 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
What about the Newest Bill: H.R.1934?
Representatives Kratovil and Conaway’s bill to extend the H-2B Worker Exemption through the end of the current Fiscal Year is still under consideration. They submitted this bill right before the break. We will know more when they return and will immediately report to you what we hear.
Until Next Week…
As I sign off today, I ask you to not lose hope, we must stay at it. I wish you and your families a very pleasant Spring & Easter weekend. We will always…
Charge On!
Congress is going home – again – without solving the H-2B crisis. How can Congress not include helping small and seasonal businesses in its efforts to bail out Wall Street, big banks and failing giant corporations? We are NOT asking for millions of dollars to sustain our businesses. All we are asking for is the right to stay in business.
Representatives Kratovil and Conaway introduced yesterday a bill to extend the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption through the end of this Fiscal Year. I have attached a copy of the Bill. Please note that Rep. Stupak and other co-sponsors of the Stupak bill are primary co-sponsors of the Kratovil bill. I will provide you with more information about this new legislative effort as we get it.
While AIG and Chrysler will cost the government billions of dollars to remain viable, solving the H-2B crisis will not cost the government one penny. This should be a slam dunk to approve. Either your Reps are with us or they are not. You need to help them understand how they can help you. Small business operators don’t want to lay off any full time American workers as a result of not getting badly needed seasonal help.
We have been down this road before, and we will not give up. Go see them in their offices, take 15 minutes today to make calls, send emails, and communicate how you need their assistance. Mobilize your efforts since Congress is actually listening to our pleas. All Congress needs to do now is turn its listening into action.
One Senator and two Representatives signed onto the Bill this week. US Senator Jim Webb (VA), Rep. Thomas Perriello (VA), and Rep. Betsy Markey (CO) are now co-sponsors of the bill.
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 36 | 14 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 80 | 79 to go to reach 2008 level |
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01136:@@@P|/bss/111search.html|
Keep after your Representatives and Senators. Make your appeals direct – ask each whether they are with you or against you. Keep up your work. Never give up. We must prevail.
Charge On!
Last Friday SSB Members Jack Brooks and Bill Sieling held an event to raise awareness for the terrible situation their business and industry face: the blockage of their returning workers and its adverse impact on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. They invited national and regional dignitaries and the media to pick crabmeat from Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay to honor the start of the April 1 crab season. Freshman Congressman Frank Kratovil (MD-1) picked and ate crabs as he listened to the stories from 150 watermen.
"I came down here today to see first hand the impact that the problem with getting these visa workers here is creating in a community like this," said Kratovil. (quoted on WMDT-TV/Cambridge, MD)
"I'm not Superman," Kratovil said Friday, during a more formal gathering which followed at Old Salty's Restaurant, explaining the limited powers of a freshman congressman. But he concluded his remarks by stating, "I guarantee you, I will be fighting to get this resolved as soon as we can." (quoted from the Star Democrat)
After listening to their stories, we are hearing reports that Congressman Kratovil is doing what he can to push through this legislation but cannot be a “superman” without the help from his fellow colleagues. His colleagues need to hear from their constituents otherwise they will not know just how bad the situation has become.
You can see one of the stories from Friday’s event by linking here on You Tube:
How can you make a difference in solving the H-2B crisis?
You can contact your elected officials and explain your situation. Even better, you can hold an event similar to what Jack Brooks and Bill Sieling pulled together. A major thank you goes out to Jack and Bill for a job well done. You can contact our office to brainstorm or get more information: CCassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org.
What is the status of our Co-Sponsors?
We are excited to hear that Reps Van Hollen (MD), Langevin (RI), Miller (NC), and Castle (DE) have re-signed as Co-Sponsors. Please thank them and ask them to fight harder by talking up the bill amongst their colleagues just as Rep Kratovil is doing. The list of former Co-Sponsors is climbing, but not quickly enough to get relief for this year. Currently:
CO-SPONSORS
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 35 | 15 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 78 | 81 to go to reach 2008 level |
As I sign off today I cannot implore the importance of how you hold the key to whether or not we get this passed. Clearly if Congress does not hear from you, they will think it does not matter. We know they are very focused on the big picture of the economic re-bound. However we need to let them know it all starts with small businesses staying successful. This will not be a reality without the passage of S.388 & H.R.1136. We will continually…
Charge On!
May the luck of the Irish be with you today. However, we all realize we cannot rely on luck to get us the relief we so desperately need. The Obama Administration announced its support of America’s small businesses yesterday:
"We know that small businesses are the engine of growth in the economy," said Christina Romer, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. "We absolutely want to do things to help them.” (quoted in Politico- March 15)
The President wants to help us. Congress repeatedly calls for more support for small business. With so much support for small business, the next logical step is to step up – at long last – and pass the Save Small Business bill.
Keep letting your elected officials in Congress know what you want and need – passage of the Save Small Business bill. More Senators and Representatives are signing up every week. I am pleased to announce our latest Co-Sponsors:
CO-SPONSORS
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 35 | 15 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 73 | 86 to go to reach 2008 level |
Please thank our newest co-sponsors for signing on. Ask them to take their support further by talking to other colleagues and especially House Leadership. Most importantly, target those members who have not yet re-signed as a co-sponsor given they were previously one. Additionally, remember to contact freshman representatives especially if their predecessor was a cosponsor as illustrated by the signing of Rep Massa.
You may have already received an email from me summarizing your states support for our bills. I will continue to do so. This is an integral part of our strategy: passing last year’s cosponsor numbers.
If members do not hear from us than they will believe that the issue is not important enough for your time or even their time. We are aware that there are several groups out there who are urging members of Congress to adversely revamp the H-2B program. We cannot back down.
Please contact Congress immediately. Many of your colleagues from a cross section of industries are running out of time and resources to open up their seasonal businesses. Tell them if Congress is really committed to helping small businesses as stated by President Obama’s staff then they will pass our bills immediately. I have attached a set of Talking Points for you to use as a tool along with a current list of co-sponsors and Washington Contact Information. We must….
Charge On!
With jobs being lost and businesses shuttering their doors, it is not too much to say that your elected officials are either for you (by cosponsoring AND pushing the Bill to passage), or . . .
THEY HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE AGAINST YOU, OR THAT THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR AMERICAN WORKFORCE, YOUR SMALL BUSINESS, OR THE COMMUNITIES YOU SERVE.
This is no time to rest. The Spring season is here, and summer is around the corner. All of you need RELIEF right now. All of us need to continue our grassroots efforts and telling our stories about what will happen if we do not get relief soon.
Keep contacting your elected officials in Washington and in their home districts. We keep hearing from everyone on Capitol Hill that all of you are making a big difference, but still Congress has yet to pass our Bill.
We are truly in a now or never time for many seasonal businesses throughout our beautiful country.
Here are the newest Co-sponsors who should be thanked for signing on:
Senator John Cornyn (TX), Representatives Dan Boren (OK) and Michael Doyle (PA)A. What are the next steps?
Continue to convert the 2008 Co-Sponsors into becoming 2009 Co-Sponsors. We are heading in the right direction but we need to move more aggressively:
CO-SPONSORS
| 2008 | 2009 | Balance | |
| Senate S.988 | 50 | 34 | 16 to go to reach 2008 level |
| House H.R.1843 | 159 | 67 | 92 to go to reach 2008 level |
B. What should I tell them?
C. How can I contact them?
D. How do I know if they are a Co-Sponsor?
I will keep you informed of new developments and strategies as they unfold. In the meantime, do not let them off the hook. Too much is on the line. We are running out of time to help many of the industries who need our help -- sooner than later.
Charge On!
I would like to thank all of you who attended yesterday’s National Day of Action on Capitol Hill. We were well represented by over 20 states and a cross section of industries: hospitality, seafood, landscaping, pool, masonry and more.
Your hard work has paid off by the announcement of the following Co-Sponsors:
Newest Senate Co-Sponsor:
House of Representatives of HR 1136 : We now have a total 54 Co-Sponsors (including chief Sponsor Rep. Stupak).
Newest House Co-Sponsors:
A complete list of Co-Sponsors is included at the end of this message. Please note that although we have heard that several sponsors will likely sign on, we cannot include them until their names have been reported to the Clerk of the Senate or House.
We cannot fail. Do not accept “no” for an answer. Congress cannot fail us. With too many American fulltime jobs and the livelihood of your businesses at stake, we must . . .
CHARGE ON!
I apologize for the late notice but I have just been informed by our contacts on Capitol Hill about the importance of bringing a mounted, blown-up photo of you with your full-and-part-time American workforce to your meetings with Elected Officials.
We need you to get a nice photo of your US staff, get it blown up to 2 by 3 feet or so, mount the photo on poster board and bring the giant photo with you to display in each meeting with your Representatives and Senators.
In doing so, you will be brining your American workforce with you to your meetings on February 25th, and you will provide a vivid reminder of what is at stake. This way the Congressperson will constantly be reminded how the livelihoods of your American workers are on the line. Dare them to look you in the eye and tell them the H-2B issue does not matter enough, even if it means the loss of their jobs.
I have attached two photos courtesy of SSB Board Member, Jack Brooks, of JM Clayton Seafood from the last Fly-In. It was compelling to look at the expressions on the members and staffers faces when Jack brought this along. Thank you Jack.
Once again I thank you for your time and efforts and apologize for not communicating this sooner.
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
Thanks to everyone who is planning to attend the Fly-In this Wednesday, February 25th. Many of you have contacted us wondering why we have added our National Day of Action in conjunction with the Fly-In. We did it because we know many of you are facing such economic disaster you cannot make it to Washington and you still want to be involved.
For those who cannot make it you need to be on the phone and fax together with your American workers each of you making separate phone calls to your elected officials in DC and their offices in your town and state. Simply put your American workers are making their case for keeping their jobs.
What do you tell your elected officials?
Tell them that this is the missing part of the Stimulus Package. The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 (S.388) restores the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption. It costs the taxpayers no money and keeps you in business.
Explain that you always try to hire US workers first. You follow the law by advertising the jobs prior to hiring, but US workers are not looking for temporary, seasonal work. You refuse to hire illegal workers and abide the law by doing so.
You do not want to lose your business and layoff your full time US workers if you cannot get the support help you need to run your business.
At the end of this message you will find the current list of Co-Sponsors and a list of Contact Information for Washington DC.
Who else can support this effort on February 25th & beyond?
Call all of the Membership, Trade Association, Professional, Fraternal and Community organizations that you and your business belong to. Get them involved by having them contact national, state, regional and local organizations on your behalf. Here is an abridged list (there are many more):
Absolutely not. For those of you who have not yet RSVP’d, please be sure to send an e-mail to Claire Cassard at CCassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org. Agenda:
8:00 AM: Briefing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building (SD): Room 124. 1st & C Streets, NE. You will receive Talking Points, hear from key Congressional staff members, your fellow H-2B small and seasonal employer activists, and have the opportunity to get your questions answered.
9:00 AM: Begin your meetings in the offices of your Representatives and Senators. You will continue your meetings until you have either met everyone or collapsed from exhaustion.
12:00-1:00 PM: Save Small Business leaders will be in the Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) and Dirksen Senate Office Cafeterias to answer any questions, swap success stories, etc. over lunch. Not mandatory – just a reference point to regroup. After lunch then returns to appointments.
I sign off today ready to fight for the help we need and deserve. Keep up the good work and together we will CHARGE On!
Hank Lavery
The Save Small Business Fly-In/H-2B National Day of Action on Capitol Hill is JUST ONE WEEK AWAY. I appreciate all of you who have already let us know that you will be coming to Washington to meet with your Members of Congress and Senators. The response thus far has been terrific. For those of you who have not yet let us know that you are coming, please be sure to send an e-mail to Claire Cassard at CCassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org.
As you know, we are trying to do everything we can to help educate Congress on the urgent need for H-2B relief! To help us achieve this objective, I am asking you to start contacting the Associations and other membership organizations that you are affiliated with to join our efforts and help get this across the finish line.
REMEMBER: Your voice alone is vital. However, the voice of your Associations joining our combined effort makes your vital voice even stronger.
February 25th SSB Fly-In and ”National Day of Action:”
Remember one essential fact: Your associations were created (just like Save Small Business) BY YOU, FOR YOU, in order TO SERVE YOU.
YOUR ASSOCIATIONS WORK FOR YOU, only you. Make sure every organization you belong to is put to work on February 25th. For our big day next week, ask them to support you by contacting their Senators and Representatives in the H-2B Fly-In and National Day of Action.
They need to be engaged at the National, State, Regional and Local levels. Their Washington representatives need to join us on Capitol Hill for the Fly-In. State and local chapters around the country need to be calling, faxing and doing everything else they can make sure that Congressional offices understand the critical urgency of passing the 2009 Save Small Business bill.
Who should you contact?
Get on the phone to the Membership, Trade Association, Professional, Fraternal and Community organizations that you and your business belong to. You need them to get their national, state, regional and local organizations engaged in our effort.
Most of you belong to more than one of these organizations that were created to serve your needs and interests. These organizations include (this is NOT an exhaustive list – there are thousands more organizations that all of you belong to):
What should you tell these Organizations?
Simply tell them that YOU ARE A MEMBER of their organization and THAT YOU NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE. Tell them your story about why the H-2B issue is critical to your American workforce and to the very survival of your business.
You have worked hard to keep your small business afloat. You do not want to lay off your full time US workers or even worse close your business. You have tried everything you can to hire locally, but there is not a calling for seasonal and temporary workers. Most US workers are searching for full time, year-round employment. If they are ready for temporary seasonal employment, you gladly hire American Workers.
Explain to them that you need them to become engaged in the national grassroots campaign to pass the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 (S.388) to restore the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption.
Most of all, GET THEIR COMMITMENT TO JOIN YOU IN THIS FIGHT!
I have provided at the end of this message the list of Co-Sponsors in the Senate. We are hearing that a House version of the Bill is soon forthcoming. We will keep you updated.
Thank you once again for all that you are doing to help ensure that your American workers continue to be employed. It is not only your American workers we are trying help, but it is also their spouses and innocent children who depend on the pay checks you provide for the roofs over their head and the food on their plates.
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
I write to you today once again asking you to fight for passage of The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 (S.388). We still have a formidable opportunity to get relief this year, but we’ve got to make our moves now. We are hearing from many in Congress that February is a much better time to reevaluate the H-2B Program especially now with the Economic Stimulus Package ready to be passed . We laid much of the groundwork last year. Now it is time to move it along.
In fact, I am extremely proud of our efforts and the strides we have made over the years. While we have spent much of our time educating Congress about the H-2B Program, our awareness is so much higher now. In the past when we met with Congress, we had to educate them about the Program. We feel many more offices understand our plight and the realization that the US needs an answer to seasonal and temporary workers.
With that said, thanks to all of you who have already informed us about your participation in next week’s Fly-In and for arranging appointments with Congress. Here is a recap of the details to date:
A. February 25th Fly-In:
8:00 AM: Briefing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building (SD): Room 124. 1st & C Streets, NE. You will receive Talking Points, hear from key Congressional staff members, your fellow H-2B small and seasonal employer activists, and have the opportunity to get your questions answered.
9:00 AM: Begin your meetings in the offices of your Representatives and Senators. You will continue your meetings until you have either met everyone or collapsed from exhaustion.
12:00-1:00 PM: Save Small Business leaders will be in the Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) and Dirksen Senate Office Cafeterias to answer any questions, swap success stories, etc. over lunch. Not mandatory – just a reference point to regroup. After lunch then returns to appointments.
B. Passage of The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 (S.388) is our objective. We have provided information at the end of this Update about how to set up appointments with your Senators and Representatives. Please remember the following pointers when making your appointment requests:
1. Most offices want you to fax your request to the office.
2. Never expect a firm appointment with the Senator or Representative even this far in advance of February 25. DON’T WORRY – you will need to send reminders as we get closer to the day, and these reminders will get you closer to an actual appointment.
3. Remember to ask for a photograph WITH the Representative or Senator. You want to be sure to publish the photo in your association or chamber’s newsletter, which is read by all the influential leaders of your community, town, county, state, etc.
4. By requesting an appointment now, it will be less of a surprise when you show up at offices on February 25. You are also establishing a relationship with the office, which over time should help your Senator or Representative understand fully the need to solve the H-2B crisis.
C. Please let us know whether you will be coming to Washington:
If you plan to come to the Fly-In, please send an RSVP to Claire Cassard (ccassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org) with the following details:
Name:
Company:
State:
Email address:
Cell Number to reach you during the Fly-In:
Business Phone:
Appointment Schedule (Who/When):
D. House version of the 2009 Save Small Business Bill:
There is still no House version of the Bill, although we continue to be assured by key House members that a Bill is forthcoming. As soon as we know more we will share it with you. In the meantime, let your US Representatives know how much this issue means to you and your American workers.
E. We Need More Co-Sponsors for S.388:
Is your Senator currently a Co-Sponsor of our Bill? If so take the time to thank them and ask them to go after their colleagues to get them to become Co-Sponsors.
If not, then you need to explain to your Senator why it is so important to become a Co-Sponsor. Tell your story with passion and motivation about your efforts to keep your full-time US workers employed. No Senator (or Representative) who truly cares about American Workers will want to turn his back on your US employees who DESPERATELY NEED H-2B RELIEF RIGHT NOW.
Once again I must tell you that the stakes are simply too high not to prevail. Together we can get relief before it is too late for this year. Nobody said it would be easy, but the outcome is certainly worth the fight!!
CHARGE ON!!!
Hank Lavery
Now that Senators Mikulski (MD) and Specter (PA) have introduced the 2009 Save Small Business Bill, it is time to let the Senate and House understand how important passing the Bill is to your American workforce, your community and your business. To help this process we have announced a Washington Fly-In for Wednesday, February 25.
More Senate co-sponsors have signed on to the Bill since last week’s introduction. We welcome and thank South Dakota’s team of Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune; Ohio’s Senator George Voinovich; Hawaii’s Daniel Inouye; and Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu. This brings the total to 25 SENATORS – fully one-fourth of the entire Senate. You can find the current co-sponsor list at the end of this message.
A. February 25th Fly-In:
Join Us! This is the real deal. We need as many of you who care about American Workers as possible to come to Washington. We will convene in one of the US Senate office buildings at 8:00 AM on the 25th. The meeting room where we will gather will be announced prior to your arrival. Passage of The Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009 (S.388) is our objective. We have provided information at the end of this Update about how to set up appointments with your Senators and Representatives. Please remember the following pointers when making your appointment requests:
1. Most offices want you to fax your request to the office.
2. Never expect a firm appointment with the Senator or Representative this far in advance of February 25. DON’T WORRY – you will need to send reminders as we get closer to the day, and these reminders will get you closer to an actual appointment.
3. Remember to ask for a photograph WITH the Representative or Senator. You want to be sure to publish the photo in your association or chamber’s newsletter, which is read by all the influential leaders of your community, town, county, state, etc.
4. By requesting an appointment now, it will be less of a surprise when you show up at offices on February 25. You are also establishing a relationship with the office, which over time should help your Senator or Representative understand fully the need to solve the H-2B crisis.
B. Please let us know whether you will be coming to Washington:
If you plan to come to the Fly-In, please send an RSVP to Claire Cassard (ccassard@SaveSmallBusiness.org) with the following details:
Name:
Company:
State:
Email address:
Cell Number to reach you during the Fly-In:
Business Phone:
Appointment Schedule (Who/When):
C. House version of the 2009 Save Small Business Bill:
There is still no House version of the Bill, although we continue to be assured by key House members that a Bill is forthcoming. As soon as we know more we will share it with you. In the meantime, let your US Representatives know how much this issue means to you and your American workers.
D. We Need More Co-Sponsors for S.388:
Is your Senator currently a Co-Sponsor of our Bill? If so take the time to thank them and ask them to go after their colleagues to get them to become Co-Sponsors.
If not, then you need to explain to your Senator why it is so important to become a Co-Sponsor. Tell your story with passion and motivation about your efforts to keep your full-time US workers employed. No Senator (or Representative) who truly cares about American Workers will want to turn his back on your US employees who DESPERATELY NEED H-2B RELIEF RIGHT NOW.
Thank you for rallying to help us help you to save American jobs, and the livelihood and future of your American workers and the families who depend on them.
Together, we must prevail.
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
I have good news to report this Tuesday from Washington! Senator Mikulski (MD) has introduced S.388, the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2009. Senator Arlen Specter (PA) is primary Co-Sponsor of the Bill, and 18 additional Senators are original Co-Sponsors. Right now it is time to start planning your trip to DC for a Fly-In scheduled for Wed., February 25th. We will meet at 8:00 (Room TBA) and spend the day visiting Congressional offices.
A. What does this mean? Now that we have a bill submitted, S.988, it allows us to focus our attention on getting other Senators to become Co-Sponsors. If you have any hope of getting your workers for the upcoming, season it is NOW OR NEVER. No doubt we have our work cut out for us: START MAKING YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS W/ YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TODAY.
B. We are hearing that Representative Stupak (MI) is planning to submit a bill early this week. Yes the focus in DC is on the Economic Stimulus Package, but we are hearing that many of our supporters are rallying on our behalf and DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE US FULL TIME JOBS.
C. How do you set up appointments? Simply call your Senators and Representatives offices. Here is a list of Washington Contact Information.
U.S. Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121
Websites:
Congressional Information www.congress.org
House of Representatives www.house.gov
U.S. Senate www.senate.gov
Visitor Information http://www.thecapitol.net/MapsAndDirections/capitolhillmap.htm
PDF files of phone lists attached as well:
Senators Phone List
Representatives Phone List
D. I will get back to you soon with Talking Points and confirmation of the Room. Please spread the word – WE NEED A CROSS SECTION OF INDUSTRIES FROM AS MANY STATES AS POSSIBLE. There is nothing like a face-to-face meeting with the officials whom you elected to tell your story. Either Congress will finally fix the H-2B Returning Worker emergency, or we will soon have to begin firing US workers and reducing the vital services each of us provides to our communities. We must not fail.
I sign off today reenergized and RE-CHARGED. We have all been hearing the dismal state of the economy and how Congress is aggressively working on an Economic Stimulus Package to be passed hopefully this week. Do not get discouraged by the naysayers. I am not. You should not. In fact, the two articles below summarize the reality of our situation rather effectively. Let’s get to it!
CHARGE ON!
Hank Lavery
Thank you for keeping the phones buzzing in House and Senate offices as you urge your elected officials to solve the H-2B crisis.
We continue to receive word from various offices that our Senate and House friends are working on potential solutions to the current crisis. Keep up your calls and visits to your Elected Officials in Washington, DC.
As I wrote last week, solving the H-2B crisis:
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Here are some interesting factoids about the H-2B program from FY 2008:
In FY 2008, the top positions (by number of Labor Certification applications filed, not by number of temporary workers requested) included the following thirty occupations:
| POSITION FILED | # PETITIONS |
| Landscape related: | |
| Landscape Laborer: | 3454 |
| Groundskeeper | 80 |
| Snow Shoveller | 34 |
| Construction and Manufacturing related: | |
| Construction Worker | 1755 |
| Laborer | 145 |
| Welder | 120 |
