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HR 707 113th Congress House Immigration Alternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration Emergency medical services and trauma care Employment taxes Foreign labor Government trust funds Housing finance and home ownership Lawyers and legal services Migrant, seasonal, agricultural labor Visas and passports Wages and earnings

Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013

Introduced: February 14, 2013 Introduced by: Crawford, Eric A. "Rick" Republican · Arkansas See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 8, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
Feb 15, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Feb 14, 2013
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 14, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to rename H-2A nonimmigrant temporary agricultural workers as STRAW workers.

Includes dairy or ranch workers in such category.

Eliminates the 50% rule requiring employers to agree to accept all qualified U.S. workers until 50% of the certified employment period has been completed.

Provides that an employer shall not be required to pay a wage rate greater than the greatest of the federal, state, and local minimum wage rates.

Prohibits the Legal Services Corporation from providing legal assistance for any alien and prohibits providing financial assistance to any person or entity that provides legal assistance for any alien, unless: (1) the alien is present in the United States when the legal assistance is provided, and (2) the parties to the dispute have attempted mediation or other non-binding dispute resolution of all issues.

Sets forth STRAW worker provisions regarding housing and length of U.S. stay.

Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide each nonimmigrant agricultural worker with an identification card that contains: (1) an encrypted, machine-readable, electronic identification strip that is unique to such alien; (2) biometric identifiers, including fingerprints and a digital photograph; and (3) physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication.

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a trust fund to pay for: (1) program administration and enforcement, (2) identification card costs, (3) monetary incentives for nonimmigrant agricultural workers to return to their country of origin, and (4) emergency medical services furnished to such workers.

Provides for the payment of specified funds into the trust fund from employers and worker wage deductions.

What's happening now April 8, 2013

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 707: Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-707/
MLA
"H.R. 707: Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-707/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 707, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-707/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 707: Short Term Retention for Agricultural Workers Act of 2013](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-707/)
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