On 22 March 2024, Ambassador Tanee Sangrat led a delegation comprising of the Nuad Thai and Spa Association of America, the Thai Town Council of Los Angeles and the Thai Restaurant Association of America (TRAA) to meet with Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI). The delegation asked for support for H.R.3734 – Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which is a draft legislation that aims to establish a new nonimmigrant visa for temporary nonagricultural workers (H-2C visa) or essential workers, who do not have a bachelor’s degree. This bill presents a great opportunity for small and medium businesses in a low employment area that cannot be filled by American workers. The visa would only allow for 3-year terms with 2 extensions and does not create a pathway to citizenship. Moreover, Ambassador also asked for support for H.R.4307 - Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act, which aims to promote the reciprocal elimination of duties with respect to medical goods to contribute to the national security and public health of the US.

Rep. Thenedar expressed his support for the immigration reform and emphasized the importance of addressing the legal aspects of immigration, noting that securing a skilled workforce is critical to the US economy. Having expertise in immigration policy, Rep. Thanedar also welcomed any future requests regarding immigration issues.

Ambassador took this opportunity to share the recent success of the Nuad Thai business community in California. He highlighted that the California Massage Therapy Council now permitted individuals with massage education and training from Thailand to apply for certification in the state. Ambassador expressed hope that this achievement could serve as a model for other states in the US in the future. Rep. Thanedar’s office expressed willingness to share this with the House Committee on Small Business.