NGCOA recognizes the important role the H-2B workforce plays in the golf industry. Since Congress eliminated the Returning Worker Exemption (RWE) in 2017 the number of H-2B workers reduced by almost 70,000. After unsuccessfully lobbying Congress to reinstate the RWE, NGCOA joined with other industry members to address the impact the lack of a quality workforce was having on industries that annually rely on an H-2B workforce. In 2018 Omnibus funding bill, funds were provided to Homeland Security to increase the number of H-2B visas not to exceed the 2016 level. Subsequently, DHS approved an additional 15,000 remainder of the fiscal year (Sep) 2018. Not only did this number fail to meet the demand, releasing them in May limited the number of businesses that could benefit.Congress has begun deliberation on funding bills for the fiscal year 2019. NGCOA has joined with other industry partners in asking Congress to provide DHS the funding to increase and make permanent the annual cap on H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Work Visas.