Efforts to include a controversial agricultural guest worker bill in the final omnibus budget bill signed by the President on October 21st have failed. The bill had previously been passed by the Senate as part of the Commerce, State and Justice Appropriations bill, but met with opposition in the House. The CSJ spending bill did not pass before the end of the session so funding for those Federal Departments was roled into the massive budget bill passed at the end of the session. Proponents of the guest worker program pushed for its inclusion in the final bill, but failed.

The bill would create a new program in addition to the existing H-2A program that would make hiring seasonal farm workers much simpler. A central job registry would have been created and farmers could find foreign workers through the registry. The bill was controversial for many reasons including the fact that farmers would not have to guarantee housing for workers, something that is required in the H-2A program. Farmers would have to provide a housing allowance, however.

Interestingly, the Mexican government came out at the tail end of the legislative process to lobby the US Congress to approve the program. Mexican newspapers have reported that the bill was given top priority by the Mexican government. Mexican government officials refused to comment on the stories.

No word yet on whether the bill's sponsors, Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith, will push for the legislation in the 106th Congress.