WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Eastern States Exposition President Gene Cassidy made his way to Washington D.C. to advocate for the CARE Act. The Carnivals Are Real Entertainment Act is a bill that makes certain workers with a traveling carnival or circus eligible for P visas or non-immigrant visas for athletes, artists, and entertainers. According to the Eastern States Exposition, this act advocates for a threatened industry that faces labor shortage issues. It would correct laws that would not allow mobile entertainment employees to use P non-immigrant visas. Entertainment leaders were also in support of the Restoring Industry Development in Entertainment Act. The Exposition says without these acts it interferes with securing the seasonal staff needed to succeed. Over the years, officials say the number of carnival companies operating in the U.S. has decreased significantly but these acts can help to improve that. These efforts come after claims that Congress has been slow to respond so leaders took it upon themselves to make a visit and call for change. Those leaders also included the Outdoor Amusement Business Association and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Local News Headlines Mass Clean Energy Week brought EVs to a Palmer racetrack DCR names new Indigenous Peoples partnership coordinator The American Cancer Society’s VOICES of Black Women study launched in Massachusetts Brushfire risk persists in Massachusetts WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.