BARN Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 6122 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6122 To reform the H-2A program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 19, 2025 Mr. Allen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To reform the H-2A program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Better Agriculture Resources Now Act'' or the ``BARN Act''. SEC. 2. H-2A PROGRAM REFORMS. (a) Definition of Agricultural Labor or Services.--Section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``Secretary of Labor'' and inserting ``Secretary of Agriculture''; (2) by striking ``and the pressing'' and inserting ``the pressing''; and (3) by striking ``of a temporary'' and all that follows through the end and inserting ``, and the handling, planting, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market, in its unmanufactured state, any agricultural or horticultural commodity, or''. (b) Administering Official.--Section 218 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188) is amended by striking ``Secretary of Labor'' each place such term appears and inserting ``Secretary of Agriculture''. (c) Deemed Approval.--Section 218(c)(3)(A) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1188(c)(3)(A)) is amended by inserting before ``In considering'' the following: ``The Secretary of Agriculture shall review such application and shall provide a determination on the