Laurie Flannigan, of DCLRS, NALP’s government relations firm, boils down the potential impact of the election on our advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry.
As you are most certainly aware, as a result of the Nov. 8 election, Donald Trump will be America’s 45th President and Republicans have retained control of both the House and Senate. Republicans will also continue to hold the majority of governorships across the country. Republicans hold 33 governorships and the party will have control of all branches of state government in at least 25 states.
Below are a few points to note in relation to NALP’s advocacy efforts:
- Senator Schumer (D-NY) is expected to replace Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) as the Senate Minority Leader. He was one of the Senate “Gang of Eight” who drafted the 2013 Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill.
- Gang of Eight members Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and John McCain (R-AZ) won their re-election bids.
- H-2B champion Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) is retiring. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) will likely replace her as the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.
- H-2B champion Roy Blunt (R-MO) won his bid for re-election. NALP’s PAC made a recent donation to his campaign to help in the fight.
- STARS Act Lead sponsor Kelly Ayotte (R) narrowly lost her Senate re-election bid to new Hampshire Secretary of State Maggie Hassan (D). NALP’s PAC made a recent donation to Ayotte’s campaign.
- Pennsylvania Senator Toomey (R) won is re-election bid. NALP’s PAC made a recent donation to his campaign to help in the fight.
- Senator Inhofe (R-OK) will step down as the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Committee Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is retiring. They are expected to be replaced by Senator Barrasso (R-ID) and Carper (D-DE) respectively. Barrasso is the lead sponsor of legislation to withdraw the Waters of the United States regulation. Both Barrasso and Carpers are cosponsors of legislation to eliminate NPDES permits for pesticide applications.
- House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers is term-limited and is expected to be replaced by Rep. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) or Aderholt (R-AL).
- Virginia Foxx (R-NC) is expected to replace retiring Rep. John Kline (R-MN) as chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee. She is fiercely “anti-amnesty” and supports strong border security and enforcement, but she also supports the H-2B program.
Congress returns to Washington this week and will hold leadership elections and begin the process of organizing for the 115th Congress. In addition, Congress will focus on federal funding beyond Dec. 9, when the current stopgap funding bill expires. NALP is working to ensure that Congress continues the existing H-2B regulatory relief provisions and that it reinstates the H-2B returning worker exemption.
In addition, we are closely monitoring President-elect Trump’s transition activities and reaching out to his transition team about key NALP priorities.
