Sponsors
The bill creates a $50 million-backed program to stabilize worker-representing organizations after disasters—boosting organizational resilience and transparency—but channels aid to organizations (not individuals), leaves award decisions to Secretary discretion, and adds federal spending.
Unions and membership organizations representing farmworkers, meatpacking, and grocery workers can receive stabilization payments after a declared disaster, providing immediate financial support to their operations and ability to assist members.
Taxpayers and affected communities gain a dedicated $50 million authorization for the stabilization program, making funds available and increasing the likelihood that the program can operate when disasters occur.
Congress and the public will receive a required report within four years evaluating program outcomes, improving transparency and enabling legislative oversight and possible program improvements.
Farmworkers and other individual workers may not receive direct personal aid because stabilization payments go to organizations and unions rather than to individuals.
Unions and membership organizations may face uncertainty or uneven access because eligibility and awards are determined at the Secretary's discretion.
Taxpayers could face higher federal spending or trade-offs with other priorities because the bill authorizes $50 million for the program if not offset elsewhere.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a USDA grant program providing stabilization payments to eligible unions or membership organizations representing farm, meat processing, and grocery workers after disasters, funded at $50 million.
Introduced March 16, 2026 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress March 16, 2026
Creates a USDA grant program that gives stabilization payments to eligible membership organizations or labor unions that represent farmworkers, meat processing workers, or grocery workers when the Secretary of Agriculture determines a natural or other disaster has occurred. The Agricultural Marketing Service will run the program, which is funded at $50 million and remains available until spent, and the Secretary must report on program outcomes to congressional agriculture committees within four years.