Billing Manual for Community Care Network Providers

such as seafood processing, forestry, hospitality, landscaping, construction and agriculture.These industries are all critical to overall economic health across the American South. Manyof these businesses have been hit hard by the economic downturn, and governments at the stateand federal levels must do all that they can to support these businesses so that they are notforced to further reduce their workforce. Therefore it is essential that wages for H-2B workersremain in line with the economic realities faced by these businesses, which often operate onextremely thin profit margins. Southern Governors are concerned that changes to themethodology for calculating wages, as proposed by the Department of Labor (DOL), wouldincrease wages to the extent that they are no longer reflective of economic realities, and wouldresult in a significant loss of jobs in these industries as companies are forced into bankruptcy.As DOL contemplates changes to the wage methodology, it should consider the economicpressures faced by these industries, and provide ample time for businesses to prepare for anychanges to the wage methodology.• Locate a satellite U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in the American South—Therecently passed America Invents Act includes authorization for four new U.S. Patent andTrademark satellite offices across the nation. Southern Governors strongly urge placement ofat least one of those offices in the American South. With over 40 percent of the U.S.population and nearly a quarter of the nation's landmass, the American South is a region whereinnovation happens. Southern Governors are strongly committed to creating an environmentthat supports private sector innovation, and our states already stand out on a wide range offactors that are fundamental to a strong innovation ecosystem, including global engagement, arobust research environment, and scientific and technically knowledgeable residents. Withtalented and dynamic people and organizations, a strong commitment to science, technology,education, research, and business development, and a long history of public-privatecooperation, the American South represents an excellent choice in which a USPTO satelliteoffice should be located.