[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 29, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              S.J. RES. 99

  Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I rise today in support of our workers, our 
businesses, and our economy. Specifically, I am here to talk about my 
resolution, which we will be voting on shortly, to protect the millions 
of workers who could lose their jobs because of an extreme Trump 
administration rule.
  This is an issue that affects all of us because, well, let me tell 
you, when industries like agriculture and construction lose workers, it 
impacts their supply chains and prices go up.
  In my State of Nevada and across every single State in this Nation, 
our economy, well, it is fueled by our workers. This includes thousands 
of individuals who live in this country legally. Thousands of 
individuals who live in this country legally, who have legal 
authorization to work, and who show up every single day to do the jobs 
that keep our communities running.
  These workers, they are doing everything that is asked of them. They 
have been vetted. They are playing by the rules. They are paying their 
taxes. And yet today, because of a misguided rule change by the Trump 
administration, many of them are at risk of losing their jobs and their 
livelihoods through no fault of their own. That is because workers with 
employment authorization documents, also known as work permits, must 
renew them every few years, but they can only file that paperwork 6 
months before their permit expires.
  While 6 months seems like a long time, the processing delays at U.S. 
Citizenship and Immigration Services, especially under this 
administration, are even longer. They can stretch well beyond 6 months.
  And so for years, there had been a simple, commonsense solution. If a 
worker filed their renewal on time, their current work permit would be 
automatically extended while the government finished processing their 
application. It is the government that was slow, not the worker.
  This way, people wouldn't have a gap in work authorization. This 
policy kept people working. It provided stability for businesses, and 
it prevented needless disruptions to our economy.
  But last fall, that changed. The Trump administration issued a rule 
that fully eliminated these automatic extensions, pulling the rug out 
from under workers who did everything right.
  Now, these individuals face an impossible choice: stop working and 
lose their income and their ability to provide for their family or risk 
working without authorization and risk deportation.
  It also puts our business owners in a terrible position. Employers 
are going to be forced to go without workers or have to let go of 
workers whose work permits expired because the government took too long 
to issue their renewals. That is why many business groups, including 
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are opposed to this reckless Trump rule.
  They know it will affect key industries like agriculture and food 
processing, construction and even childcare. And we know what happens 
when there are fewer workers able to meet demands: Prices go up.
  So think about it. More than 3.5 million legally authorized workers 
nationwide could be impacted by this misguided rule. In construction 
alone, roughly 600,000 workers could be forced off the job, right as we 
face a critical shortage of labor needed to build much needed housing 
across America. In Nevada, we already have 11,000 fewer construction 
workers than we did just a year ago, and even more workers are 
sidelined because of paperwork delays.
  What is this going to mean? Projects are going to stall, costs will 
rise, working families will feel it in the form of higher housing 
prices and fewer available homes. And it doesn't stop there.
  In hospitality, an industry that is the backbone of Nevada's economy, 
more than half a million workers nationwide could be affected. So for a 
State like mine, where tourism drives growth and supports countless 
small businesses, losing thousands of workers in our hotels, 
restaurants, and entertainment venues would be devastating.
  Fewer workers means reduced capacity. It means lower service levels. 
It means lost revenue, not just for our businesses but for entire 
communities that depend upon a strong tourism economy. And that is 
wrong. It is just wrong.
  It is why I introduced a resolution under the Congressional Review 
Act to overturn this harmful Trump rule. My legislation would restore 
automatic extensions for workers who have already been vetted and who 
have their work permits while their paperwork is being processed.
  This is about fairness. It is about stability, and it is about 
helping our workers and our businesses.
  So today I am asking my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join 
me in taking a simple step, a vote to support workers and the business 
community. So let's overturn this harmful rule change that will hurt 
families, small businesses, large businesses, and our entire economy. 
Let's put America's workers--again, our businesses, everything, our 
economy--first by reinstating automatic extensions for work permit 
renewals. If we don't, we risk losing 3.5 million workers from our 
workforce. And trust me; we will all pay the price.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.

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