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Congress’ Funding Measure Includes Thousands of Slots for Worker Visas

A $1 trillion congressional funding compromise that would keep the U.S. government running through Sept. 30, will also include thousands of slots for additional H-2B seasonal visa workers.

The program is currently capped at 33,000 workers for each half of the federal fiscal year. U.S. Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins said in a prepared statement that the proposed compromise would allow the cap to be increased, at the discretion of the secretary of homeland security.

At the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, executive director Martha Searchfield says local business owners hope lawmakers will act quickly to bolster the summer workforce.

“[There’s a] lot of reason for optimism,” Searchfield says. “I think everybody here in Bar Harbor and I’m sure along the entire coast of Maine, and every business involved in the tourism industry, was very relieved to hear that the government has been listening and has received all of the letters and the emails asking them to do this. So I think it’s a very good thing for Bar Harbor and for the whole state.”

Congress could vote on the bill Wednesday and President Donald Trump says he will sign the measure.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the number of H-2B visas could double under the compromise.