AgJOBS Bill Reaches Critical 60th Co-sponsor Mark

Washington, D.C ?EUR??,,????'??+ On May 5, 2004, Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), president pro-tem of the Senate and chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, became the 61st U.S. Senator to co-sponsor the AgJOBS bill (S. 1645). He joined Senators John Rockefeller (D-WV), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) who recently announced their support of the legislation. Surpassing the 60th co-sponsor is important as it represents the ?EUR??,,????'??filibuster-proof margin?EUR??,,????'?? necessary to overcome procedural delaying tactics and move a bill to a vote in the Senate.

?EUR??,,????'??In this year, an election year, where it seems like so little is going to get passed, 60 really gives us the ability to get it moving,?EUR??,,????'?? said a spokesman for Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig. Sen. Craig introduced the legislation with Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) last fall.

?EUR??,,????'??Congress must hear from every member of the nursery, greenhouse, and landscape community if we are to win this long and difficult battle,?EUR??,,????'?? said Craig Regelbrugge, senior director of government relations for the Washington, D.C.-based American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA). ?EUR??,,????'??With 60 reached, the next few weeks promise to be very dynamic. We will continue to seek both Senate and House co-sponsors, while our Senate champions determine how they wish to move the bill.?EUR??,,????'??

The AgJOBS bill, and House companion bill (H.R.3142) would overhaul the H-2A agricultural guest worker program that does not meet the labor needs of the U.S. green industry. The bill would offer an opportunity for many foreign workers who lack legal immigration status a chance to earn permanent legal status through their much needed labor. ANLA chairs the Agriculture Coalition on Immigration Reform.