Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate.

This joint resolution, H.J. Res. 154, specifically targets the Department of Labor's rule titled 'Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States' (90 Fed. Reg. 47914, Oct. 2, 2025). The bill states that this rule 'shall have no force or effect.' This action directly impacts the labor costs for agricultural employers who utilize the H-2A visa program. By nullifying the rule, the resolution aims to prevent an increase in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) that would have taken effect from October 2025, thereby maintaining lower labor expenses for these businesses. The money trail in this scenario involves cost savings for agricultural businesses rather than direct appropriations. If the resolution passes, agricultural employers who rely on H-2A workers will avoid increased wage expenditures mandated by the Department of Labor's rule. This regulatory relief directly benefits their bottom line. The specific companies that stand to gain are those with significant H-2A worker programs, primarily large-scale agricultural producers. However, without knowing the specific wage rate changes the DOL rule implemented, quantifying the exact dollar impact on these companies is not possible at this stage. Historical precedent for congressional disapproval of agency rules exists under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). For example, in March 2017, Congress used the CRA to disapprove an Obama-era Department of Labor rule on state and local government retirement plans. While the market impact of that specific CRA action was not broadly tracked for individual companies, it demonstrated Congress's ability to roll back regulations. The current resolution is in its initial stages, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, indicating a long path to potential enactment. The sponsors, including Ms. Lofgren, are not committee chairs, which suggests lower immediate legislative momentum. Specific winners, if this resolution passes, include large agricultural corporations that employ H-2A workers. These companies will experience reduced labor costs compared to what the Department of Labor's rule would have imposed. However, as the bill is in early stages and no specific companies are named in the text, and given the broad nature of 'agricultural employers,' no specific publicly traded tickers are identified as immediate beneficiaries. The timeline for this resolution is extended; it must pass both the House and Senate and avoid a presidential veto to take effect. No immediate market action is expected. Conversely, H-2A workers would be the losers, as their wages would not increase as stipulated by the Department of Labor's rule. This directly impacts their earning potential. However, this is a labor policy outcome and does not directly translate to publicly traded company losses.