December 2022 - 29

AG LABOR REVIEW
For ag employers, this lame duck session is key
MICHAEL MARSH
President & CEO
National Council of
Agricultural Employers
Michael@ncaeonline.org
Darkness lingers into the morning and
comes again in the late afternoon. Leaves
on the trees have already changed color
and now litter the ground waiting to be
scattered by the wind. Temperatures cool
and frost covers windshields of cars first
thing each day.
It's not yet winter but you can feel it
coming.
In Washington, D.C., elections are
over, and the Congress has returned.
This is referred to as the " lame duck "
session. Merriam Webster defines a
lame duck as " an elected official or group
continuing to hold political office during
the period between the election and
the inauguration of a successor. " For ag
employers, this lame duck session is very
important.
So much to get done in a very short
period.
As of this writing, the Senate is
waiting for the introduction of the Farm
Workforce Modernization Act.
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet
(D-Colo.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
have been working together to develop
language for the legislation, with language
that will hopefully be more employer
friendly than the measure put together
in the House. The House version passed,
again, in March 2021.
So much to get done in a very short
period.
Following introduction, the
Bennet/Crapo bill will be assigned
to the committee of jurisdiction over
immigration issues in the Senate
Chamber. This means the bill will be
assigned to the Judiciary Committee
which is chaired by Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
Sen. Durbin will need to schedule
committee time to hear the bill and
debate any amendments to the language.
Once the bill passes out of committee,
hopefully with bipartisan support, it will
move to the Senate floor. Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer will then need to carve
out time for debate of the bill, while also
making sure that other priorities (like
keeping the government funded) are
similarly scheduled for time.
Once the bill passes off the Senate
floor with at least 60 votes reflecting the
bipartisan nature of the legislation, it will
need to move to a Conference Committee
with the House of Representatives.
The Conference Committee (including
Democrats and Republicans from both
Chambers) will then convene to iron out
differences between the two versions of
the bill. Once they are successful in that
effort, the conference bill will return to
both the House and Senate Floors for
debate and passage.
Upon passage in both chambers with a
majority vote in the House and 60 votes
in the Senate, the legislation will move to
the president for his signature.
So much to get done in a very short
period.
As I mentioned, this time of year
is good for reflection. Agricultural
employers will push aggressively to get
legislation passed. This will not be an easy
lift to navigate all of the complexities and
hurdles that remain in our way. But we
will work hard to achieve positive change
for the people who are relying on us.
It's not just agricultural employers
who are relying on us. It's the American
people too.
It is that important! FGN
Wildlife Control Supplies
u Experience u Knowledge u Products for Professionals u " One-Stop " Shopping
Got nuisance birds?
We can help!
Apples available for 2023
Now taking orders
for 2023 and 2024
See us at the EXPO!
Booth 1110
AMBROSIA™
AZTEC ™ FUJI
BL-14
BROOKFIELD® GALA
EARLCHIEF™
GALE GALA®
GOLD RUSH™
GOLDEN SUPREME
INDIAN SUMMER
JONAGOLD
JONASTAR®
MAIA-1™
MANCHURIAN
MARQUIS ™ IDARED
PAULARED®
RISING SUN®FUJI
ROYAL RED HONEYCRISP®
For our complete list of cannons, lasers,
pyrotechnics and additional bird and
wildlife control products visit:
For our complete line of cannons &
additional nuisance bird or wildlife
products visit
www.ShopWCS.com
Call toll-free 877-684-7262
FGN | DECEMBER 2022 | 29
GENEVA®G.11
GENEVA® G.214
GENEVA®G.41
GENEVA®G.890
GENEVA®G.935
GENEVA®G.969
BUD 9
BUD 10®
http://www.ShopWCS.com http://hilltopfruittrees.com
December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2022
