Industry Asks for H-2B Visa Program Support

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, through its involvement in the H-2B Workforce Coalition, has joined other organizations and businesses pushing to have the H-2B visa returning worker exemption reinstated in a continuing resolution that is being drafted to fund the federal government through March 31, 2017. 

Within the industry, horsemen's groups also are asking their members to reach out to lawmakers to support the resolution.

H-2B visas are used by employers to fill temporary, non-agricultural positions that they are unable to fill with domestic workers. Horse trainers and other industry participants use the H-2B visa program to hire grooms and other stable help. The H-2B visa program has an annual cap of 66,000 visas. 

Qualified workers who complied with past visa requirements and worked in the program during one of the preceding three years will be excluded from the cap through the returning worker exemption. The NTRA is asking industry members to contact Congressional leadership immediately and express the horse industry's concerns and the need to reinstate the H-2B visa returning worker exemption. 

The National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Kentucky HBPA are encouraging members to reach out to lawmakers.

"The exemption is key because those workers don't count against the H-2B's quota of 66,000 visas to come legally to the U.S. to work in seasonal jobs that Americans don't want for the most part," the National HBPA said in a letter to members. "Finding labor to take care of our horses will become a nightmare without these men and women (and it's not just racing impacted). Time is of the essence as Congress is expected to vote on this within days."

"This important provision allows temporary migrant workers to be in the U.S. legally for 10 months a year, return to their home country for two months, and legally return to work on Kentucky horse training facilities and racetracks," the Kentucky HBPA said in a letter to members. "As it becomes more difficult for the horse industry to find labor, failing to reinstate the H-2B Returning Worker Exemption will worsen the problem and the impact will be felt across the horse industry."

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association forwarded an email to its members asking for support of the resolution.

The NTRA and horsemen's groups suggest calling Sen. Mitch McConnell at 202-224-2541 and Rep. Hal Rogers at 202-225-4601 in Washington and asking for the person who handles H-2B issues. The NTRA said it's important to emphasize that the failure to reinstate the H-2B returning worker exemption before March of next year will hurt horse racing and agriculture industries and result in the loss of critical jobs. 

For those with Twitter accounts, industry groups suggest tweeting #saveH2B to @SenateMajLdr and @RepHalRogers with the following message: "Include H-2B returning worker exemption in CR-critical horse racing and agriculture jobs are at stake!"  In separate tweets with the same message, you may also consider tagging other members of Congress and @HouseAppropsGOP.

The Kentucky Equine Education Project also encourages reaching out to legislators. KEEP has provided a link to register opinion on the program.