REVIEW AND REPORT ON H–2A NONIMMIGRANT WORKERS PROGRAM.

SEC. 653. REVIEW AND REPORT ON H–2A NONIMMIGRANT WORKERS PROGRAM. (a) Sense of the Congress.— It is the sense of the Congress that the H2–A nonimmigrant worker program should be reviewed and may need improvement in order to meet the need of producers of labor-intensive agricultural commodities and livestock in the United States for an adequate workforce. (b) Review.— The Comptroller General shall review the effectiveness of the H–2A nonimmigrant worker program to ensure that the program provides a sufficient supply of agricultural labor 110 STAT. 3009–714in the event of future shortages of domestic workers after the enactment of this Act. Among other things, the Comptroller General shall review the H–2A nonimmigrant worker program to determine— (1) whether the program ensures that an adequate supply of qualified United States workers is available at the time and place needed for employers seeking such workers after the date of enactment of this Act; (2) whether the program ensures that there is timely approval of applications for temporary foreign workers under the program in the event of shortages of United States workers after the date of the enactment of this Act; (3) whether the program ensures that implementation of the program is not displacing United States agricultural workers or diminishing the terms and conditions of employment of United States agricultural workers; (4) if, and to what extent, the program is contributing to the problem of illegal immigration; and (5) that the program adequately meets the needs of agricultural employers for all types of temporary foreign agricultural workers, including higher-skilled workers in occupations which require a level of specific vocational preparation of 4 or higher (as described in the 4th edition of the Dictionary of Occupational Title, published by the Department of Labor). (c) Report.— Not later than December 31, 1996, or 3 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever occurs earlier, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the Congress setting forth the conclusions of the Comptroller General from the review conducted under subsection (b). (d) Definitions.— As used in this section: (1) The term “Comptroller General” means the Comptroller General of the United States. (2) The term “H–2A nonimmigrant worker program” means the program for the admission of nonimmigrant aliens described in section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.