Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 3254
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2025-06-12T08:07:12Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act (H.R. 3254) aims to provide targeted emergency financial and support assistance to farm workers impacted by disasters, such as natural events or health crises. It amends existing federal law to ensure farm workers, particularly migrant and seasonal ones, receive aid through grants to qualified organizations, addressing income loss, work disruptions, and related hardships.
Key Provisions
- Emergency Grants: Starting in fiscal year 2026 and continuing annually, the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, must award grants to eligible farm worker organizations during "covered disasters" to deliver relief to affected farm workers.
- Allowed Uses of Funds:
- Direct financial aid to farm workers for losses from disasters.
- Building organizational capacity to deliver relief.
- Enhancing community resilience against future disasters.
- Supporting infrastructure, such as temporary shelter.
- Providing other emergency services deemed appropriate by the Secretary.
- Fund Availability: Grants remain usable until fully spent, with no time limit.
- Outreach Requirements: The Secretary must create and implement a promotional plan to publicize the grants before and during distribution.
- Consultation Mandate: The Secretary must work with eligible organizations when administering the program.
- Definitions:
- Covered disaster: Includes weather events (e.g., droughts, wildfires, floods, extreme heat), health crises (e.g., pandemics), or other conditions causing farm workers to lose income, stop working, or return home due to shortages.
- Eligible farm worker organization: Either a membership-based group for farm workers or a tax-exempt nonprofit (under IRS Section 501(c)(3)) with proven experience aiding farm workers, including migrants or seasonal ones.
- Migrant or seasonal farm worker: An individual who has done paid farm work for at least half their income or work time in the past two years.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill fully replaces Section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2281). The original section likely focused on narrower agricultural disaster aid, but the amendment expands it to specifically target farm workers (not just farmers or crops), introduces ongoing annual grants for broader disaster types, mandates consultation and promotion, and defines key terms to prioritize vulnerable workers. It shifts emphasis from general farm aid to direct, community-based relief for human impacts.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly its Rural Development arm, will handle grant administration, consultations, and promotional efforts, potentially increasing administrative workload and requiring new budgeting for fiscal year 2026 onward. No new funding source is specified, so it may rely on existing appropriations.
- On Citizens: Farm workers, especially low-income migrant and seasonal ones, could gain faster access to financial aid, shelter, and services during disasters, reducing economic hardship and improving recovery. Broader communities may benefit from stronger organizational support networks.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could indirectly support U.S. agricultural labor that includes foreign-born workers, potentially aiding workforce stability in trade-dependent farming sectors.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Farm Workers: Primary beneficiaries, including migrant and seasonal workers who face high vulnerability to disasters due to their job nature and often limited resources.
- Eligible Organizations: Nonprofits and membership groups experienced in farm worker support, which will receive and distribute grants, gaining funding to expand services.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Responsible for program implementation, oversight, and consultation.
- Farmers and Agricultural Employers: Indirectly affected, as supported workers may return to jobs faster, maintaining labor supply during recoveries.
- Taxpayers: Potential fiscal impact through federal spending on grants.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes a mandatory grant program tied to disaster declarations, which could lead to litigation if funding disputes arise or if "covered disasters" are interpreted too broadly/narrowly. It builds on existing federal disaster authority without creating new entitlements.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I, Section 8, to promote general welfare, particularly for underserved groups. No apparent conflicts with equal protection or due process, as aid is needs-based.
- Political: Highlights bipartisan support for agricultural labor (introduced by a diverse group of representatives), potentially advancing equity for immigrant-heavy workforces. It may spark debates on federal spending priorities amid disaster frequency increases due to climate change, but remains focused on domestic aid without partisan overtones in the text.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (18)
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-07: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2025-05-07: Introduced in House
- 2025-05-07: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act — issued 2025-05-07 — PDF (5 pages)