GCSAA has been working individually and with its allies in the H-2B Workforce Coalition to increase the number of H-2B visas available annually to golf facilities. Seasonal industries like golf do not have access to enough H-2B visas, and this is a continuing problem. Recent efforts successfully resulted in securing visa cap relief through the congressional appropriations process. They involved:

• Letters sent to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders from the GCSAA, its chapters, and a diverse group of industries that requested that permanent H-2B cap relief be included in the FY19 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
  
• A golf industry-specific letter crafted with industry allies in the We Are Golf coalition in the middle of June also urged House and Senate leaders to include language in FY19 appropriations legislation to permanently increase the number of H-2B work visas permitted each fiscal year. 
• Grassroots advocacy by golf course superintendents directed to rank-and-file members of Congress in support of these efforts, including securing their signatures on a letter sent to the House Appropriations Committee.

Current status

July 25 was an important day. The House Committee on Appropriations passed the FY19 Homeland Security Appropriations bill along party lines (29-22), and the bill included an amendment that would exempt returning workers from the H-2B statutorily mandated cap. GCSAA and the H-2B Workforce Coalition endorsed this amendment.

The amendment language includes:

• Make H-2B workers who received an H-2B visa during one of the previous two fiscal years exempt from the annual cap of 66,000 visas.
• Distribute the 66,000 visas for new H-2B workers on a quarterly basis rather than biannually.
• Develop a system in which the 66,000 visas for new H-2B workers would be allocated proportionally once the cap is reached to ensure that all employers receive some H-2B workers.

GCSAA applauds this action, but there are many more steps to take before this language becomes law, including passage in the Senate and approval by President Trump. The constitutional deadline for final passage of all appropriations legislation for FY19 is Sept. 30. However past action by Congress has indicated that it may go past this deadline if needed and pass all outstanding appropriations legislation as an Omnibus bill. GCSAA will continue to advocate on this issue and make sure golf’s voice is heard on the need for H-2B cap relief.