Van Hollen, Cardin, Warner Urge Administration Officials To Release Additional H-2B Visas

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) released the following statement today regarding a bipartisan call the Senators participated in last night with the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf:

"The release of additional H-2B visas to allow our local businesses to hire seasonal workers is of vital and urgent importance to Maryland and Virginia’s seafood industries. Last night, on a call with the Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, we stressed this need and pressed the Secretary to act immediately. We were pleased to hear that he has been working diligently on this issue, and we will continue pushing to ensure that additional visas are released quickly. Without these additional visas, our states’ treasured crab and oyster industries – which are made up of many small, family-owned businesses and are crucial to the economies of the Eastern Shore and Northern Neck – will be forced to scale back operations, default on contracts, lay off full-time American workers or, in some cases, close operations completely. We will keep fighting to protect this important regional industry and to address this issue long-term."