Senators Feinstein, Craig, Kennedy, and Boxer are continuously highlighting the need for AgJOBS as a solution to this nation's agricultural immigration crisis.  Last week they discussed the labor crisis in agriculture, pointing to media articles reporting that growers throughout the country are losing millions of pounds of produce and income due to a shortage of legal workers, from the Senate floor.  Senator Craig indicated that he plans to seek unanimous consent to offer AgJOBS as an amendment to the Secure Fence Act.  This is a long shot since Senator Chambliss--has indicated that he will oppose AgJOBS. 

For about the last week, Senators Feinstein and Craig have urged Senate Majority Leader Frist to address the agricultural immigration crisis by allowing AgJOBS to be offered as an amendment to the Secure Fence Act, HR 6061.  Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful and AgJOBS was not permitted to be offered as an amendment to the Act.  Thursday night, the Senate voted 71-28 in favor of a cloture motion (to end debate and move to a vote) on the Secure Fence Act and debate is scheduled to end at around 3 a.m Friday night.  

Please contact Senators Feinstein, Craig, Kennedy, and Boxer to thank them for their continued hard work to get AgJOBS passed.  Their efforts to pass AgJOBS could be useful to build momentum for AgJOBS to be passed during the lame duck session.  Contact information for the Senators can be found at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.