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out to a bi-partisan group of senators, congressmen, and Notably, the amendment passed the Senate Appropriations
governors to help educate the White House on the economic Committee unanimously, 31-0, without opposition.
importance of the J-1 visa program. Once signed into law, this amendment would prevent
As part of that outreach, this coalition worked with the White House from unilaterally using an executive
members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to pass order to eliminate J-1 visas. Senator Lisa Murkowski—a
an amendment to the Senate’s State & Foreign Operations hugely influential Republican from Alaska—co-sponsored
budget bill on September 7 that (when ultimately signed this amendment with other Republicans on the Senate
into law) would limit Trump from using an executive order Appropriations Committee, which was critical in obtaining
to eliminate or reduce the J-1 visa program. The bi-partisan unanimous support to pass the amendment. Still, while
amendment states: this has passed in the Senate, it still has to be adopted by
the House of Representatives. The current federal budget
EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM.—None of the runs until December 8, so our coalition will continue to
funds made available by this Act may be used to modify the work on this amendment in the House of Representatives,
Exchange Visitor Program administered by the Department along with continued efforts on Congressional and White
of State . . . except through a formal rule-making process House education on the economic importance of the J-1
pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act and visa program.
notwithstanding the exceptions to such rule making process Furthermore, the State Department recently sent a
in such Act: Provided, That funds made available for such working draft of the agency’s proposed changes to the J-1
purpose shall only be made available after consultation program to the White House for review, pursuant to the
with, and subject to the regular notification procedures BAHA executive order (the State Department’s proposal has
of, the Committees on Appropriations, regarding how any not been made public). We believe that a final version of the
proposed modification would affect the public diplomacy State Department’s proposed changes to the J-1 program
goals of, and the estimated economic impact on, the should be released by the White House by December, or
United States. January 2018. One possible change could be a requirement

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN
SELECT SKI COUNTIES
King Carroll
3.0% 3.4%
Chittenden Oxford
Gallatin 2.4% 4.0%
2.7%
Clackamas Windsor
3.6% Blaine 2.8%
2.6% Teton Columbia Merrimack
2.7% Lawrence 2.7% Windham 2.9%

3.1%
Weber 3.1% Grafton
Placer Routt 2.7%
3.7% 3.7% 1.8%
Grand Adams

Salt Lake 3.4%
Summit
3.2% 2.1% 1.3%
Summit
Mono 2.7% Gunnison Rockingham
3.7% 1.8% Sevier 2.9%
La Plata 3.7%
2.2% Pitkin
1.8% Haywood
3.8%

Economists consider
4% unemployment
as "full employment"

These are some of the counties
where ski areas use J-1 visas
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
(March 2017 unemployment rates)

EARLY WINTER 2017 | NSAA JOURNAL | 9