H.R. 9535: Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026

119th Congress · introduced 2026-06-30 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Official title

Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026

Plain summary

Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026 This bill expands the H-2A agricultural visa program; creates online platforms for H-2A employers, workers, and agencies; and codifies certain wage calculations. Under current law, workers on H-2A visas are only allowed to perform agricultural work of a seasonal or temporary nature. Under the bill, the seasonal work requirement is removed, thus allowing H-2A workers to qualify for agricultural work that occurs year-round. The bill also expands the type of agricultural work that qualifies, including reforestation, aquaculture, and livestock work. The Department of Agriculture must issue rules to define agricultural labor or services for purposes of the H-2A program. The bill also establishes an H-2A visa pathway for current unauthorized agricultural workers who otherwise meet requirements. The Department of Labor must maintain a national, publicly accessible online job registry and database of all job offers submitted by employers seeking a labor certification required to employ H-2A workers. The Department of Homeland Security must establish an online platform for employers to submit information and documentation for review by federal agencies in the course of admitting H-2A workers. The H-2A program requires employers to provide workers with wage rates at or above those set in regulations and such wages must not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers similarly employed in the United States. The bill codifies the current calculation method for the adverse effect wage rate as set in regulation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] · 65 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Donald G. Davis (D-NC), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Josh Riley (D-NY), Michael K. Simpson (R-ID), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), David Rouzer (R-NC), Trent Kelly (R-MS), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Celeste Maloy (R-UT), Ryan K. Zinke (R-MT), Nicholas A. Langworthy (R-NY), James R. Baird (R-IN), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Daniel Meuser (R-PA), John R. Moolenaar (R-MI), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), David Kustoff (R-TN), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Laurel M. Lee (R-FL), David J. Taylor (R-OH), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Don Bacon (R-NE), Mike Flood (R-NE), Austin Scott (R-GA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), Mike Bost (R-IL), Troy Downing (R-MT), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Mark B. Messmer (R-IN), Brian Jack (R-GA), Tim Moore (R-NC), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann (R-TN), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Marlin A. Stutzman (R-IN), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Mike Ezell (R-MS), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Jack Bergman (R-MI) and 5 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr9535.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr9535 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills