Congress holds new hearing on immigration bill

InfoWorld ^ | September 06, 2007 | Ephraim Schwartz

[Delacon]

The STRIVE Act may still be in play and, with it, higher H-1B caps

It appears that the STRIVE (Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy) Act of 2007 isn't quite dead after all.

On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees Border Security, and International Law convened and on its first day took written statements from witnesses on the bill.

The comprehensive immigration bill that caused such a furor earlier this year, mainly over the issue of whether it was offering amnesty to illegal immigrants, also addressed the H-1B visa cap.

The cap, now set at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for foreign workers who have a graduate degree from a U.S. institution, would be raised to 115,000 for 2008 with a stipulation that it would go up an additional 20 percent each year that the quota was met, with a final cap of 180,000 visas issued.

At the hearing, STRIVE Act cosponsor Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona did not specifically bring up the issue of H-1B, but he did say that the STRIVE Act "addresses the failures and problems with past worker programs."

Countering Flake's premise, Julie Kirchner, the government relations director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform said, "These provisions are a serious threat to high-tech workers in the U.S., including legal immigrants who have patiently waited their turn to take part in the American dream."

In total, there were a dozen witnesses submitting written statements, but the others did not address the issue of the H-1B visa cap.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Time to call up your House representative and say “Hell no!”

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

The Teamsters were protesting at the Laredo border crossing
today(FOX),,,looks like they ain’t gunna just roll over...

[jedward]

It’s pretty bad when the teamsters as well as barak obamma issue statements against something anti-conservative. That should be clue enough that something is terribly amiss.

[jedward]

I have noticed no action though. Someone’s listening...but lest we forget the train is indeed still rolling.

[SpaceBar]

If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers - normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free, Americans who have been lulled away into a false security. -- Ezra Taft Benson

A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. -- Marcus Tullius Cicero

[Delacon]

Flake gets a “F” on Amnesties, Chain Migration, and Unnecessary Visas by the Americans for Better Imigration.
http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=AZ&VIPID=928

[Millee]

Silly citizen. Dontcha know our mighty rulers knows what’s best for us.

[jedward]

BTTT x10

[Ben Ficklin]

There is a 4 page overview and 12 page summary of the bill at Flake’s website.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

It’s pretty bad when the teamsters as well as barak obamma issue statements against something anti-conservative. That should be clue enough that something is terribly amiss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ya got that rite,,,FOX guy kept referring to this as an
“Experiment” which I thought was strange...

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

I have noticed no action though. Someone’s listening...but lest we forget the train is indeed still rolling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
True Dat,,,The shamnesty vote opened some ears...

[jedward]

And our treaties are experiments too (snort)

[jedward]

ping

[SpaceBar]

FOX guy kept referring to this as an “Experiment” which I thought was strange...

I noticed the same thing on various news casts and concluded that "experiment" is the agreed apon government Newspeak terminology to refer to the mexican trucking issue. It's just an experiment. Like the federal income tax and social security cards. Just an experiment.

[Uncle George]

They are debating about how many and the size of the canteens of water to place on top of the new border fence.

[goldfinch]

From Flakes website...Congressman Flake, along with Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, has introduced the STRIVE Act, which would increase border security, strengthen interior enforcement, create a temporary worker program, and deny amnesty to illegal immigrants.

Article 6 of the Strive Act ... TITLE VI: EARNED LEGALIZATION FOR QUALIFIED, HARDWORKING INDIVIDUALS

Seemingly Flake still believes that he can fool people by calling amnesty something else. Looks like 'earned legalization' is his disguise this time. Time to whip out my old phone list and start calling.

[stephenjohnbanker]

These SOB’s never stop trying!

[norton]

I'm kind of wondering: was "comprehensive amnesty" intended to fail?

Is it going to be easier to do the same thing in little-bitty pieces?

Are we already on the road without really knowing it?

[meyer]

We should STRIVE to keep a close eye on our legislators and stop them from even thinking of passing an amnesty bill. Or, anything that looks like an amnesty bill!

They're trying again to pull a fast one. They cannot be trusted.

[Delacon]

I can’t get the summary to open. Damn Adobe Reader. But comments on immigration throughout his website reaffirm my comments that this isn’t just about H-1B visas. This guy wants to push amnesty through. He wants to push through the whole Stive Act. Thanks.