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.

[Jasper]

Extreme BTTT

/jasper

[Delacon]

Keep me in mind the next time you have a good one.

[gubamyster]

ping

[WOSG]

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., complained about the use of the word amnesty. “This term amnesty has been misused more times in this debate than any other word I’ve heard in any other debate,” Conyers said. “I’ve never before noticed so much anti-immigrant bias.” The subcommittee’s ranking Republican, Rep. Steve King of Iowa, was one of the few dissenting voices. King compared the STRIVE Act to the 1986 immigration law. He said that both are amnesty and would reward illegal behavior and disrespect of American law. “No one wants to repeat the mistake of 1986, but the STRIVE Act does that,” he said. “The STRIVE Act sells U.S. citizenship for $2,100.” King was referring to the fines illegal immigrants would pay to get on the path to citizenship.

Conyers and the other Democrats have complete contempt for the citizens. Imagine that, after it was made clear by huge waves of communications to the Senate, that this is not what the people want. Yet the Democrats in the House try to sneak in the same amnesty in another bill.

And the kicker is ... they lowered the price of amnesty!

[NRA2BFree]

I read that Bush was in Australia telling the “whole world” to get on board with globalism and free trade. I’ve never regretted voting for anyone (twice) as much as I do him. He’s destroying our Sovereignty and our country.

[mo]

“.......The session, called by subcommittee Chairwoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren,”

Well we all know what she did on HER summer vacation.....

[NRA2BFree]

The individual has not been convicted of a felony or three or more misdemeanors;

Unbelievable. Why in the name of God would we want to give ANYONE the right to remain in our country if they have already got three misdemeanors?? Not only are the Congress critters traitors but they're actually stupid! Most Americans will go their ENTIRE LIFE with NO misdemeanors!

[Delacon]

“I read that Bush was in Australia telling the “whole world” to get on board with globalism and free trade. I’ve never regretted voting for anyone (twice) as much as I do him. He’s destroying our Sovereignty and our country.”

I like to mumble a mantra that goes like this. “At least he isn’t Gore or Kerry. At least he isn’t Gore or Kerry”. It helps me sleep at night.

[NRA2BFree]

Is it still legal in America to hang traitors?

[NRA2BFree]

I like to mumble a mantra that goes like this. "At least he isn't Gore or Kerry. At least he isn't Gore or Kerry." It helps me sleep at night.

Actually, it really makes me feel much, much worse knowing a man who professed to be a Conservative and a Christian would do us this way. I would have expected it from either one of those two, but for Pete's sake, NOT from one of our own. We've just got to get someone in office who respects our Constitution and the American people! Of course, if they pass amnesty, the GOP is dead in the water. There will be NOTHING but Democrats in office until the Mexicans have taken it over.

[zeugma]

Is it still legal in America to hang traitors?

 

Only if you hang enough of them. 

[nicmarlo]

Rail-car # 2 in the ‘Train’. #1 was the Truckers Plan.

bumping that. Thanks for the ping. Long day today...and again tomorrow. Keep the lights on for me. : )

[nicmarlo]

It's BAAAA-AACK!!

just like the Night of the Living Dead

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Niters,,,Sweet Dreams,,,No Bugs...;0)

[nicmarlo]

lol! No bugs!! I had creepy dreams last night, lol....I can’t remember what it was, but it was weird. I think it’s your fault, hehehe.

[CottonBall]

Frankly, I’m all for more H1B’s for immigrants educated here. They are usually very Americanized, and all we are doing by forcing them to go home is exporting US trained expertise and knowledge — one of any nation’s most valuable resources. At the same time, we are facing a very real shortage of engineers and the like. It makes no sense.

While I understand this side of the coin, I also see that importintg more technical people that will work for less takes jobs away from and depresses wages for Americans.

On the one hand, we are graduating less and less engineers and scientists every year. ie, in the last decade the number of graduates from CA public universities increased by 11% while the number of graduates from those same schools with engineering, math, and physical science degrees decreased by 8%. I see firsthand how our high schools are not preparing our kids to take the harder classes. And companies need knowledgable workers else our economy is doomed.

On the other hand, a power plant here in Bakersfield hires 2 engineers from Mexico on H1B's and pays them about 2/3rds of what the going rate is for engineers here. This company is obviously trying to save money, while all the other power plants in the area have Americans in those positions and are paying the prevailing wage. They have no problem finding the engineers to hire - because they pay adequately.

Although companies have to submit evidence that they can't find a citizen to do the job and that they are paying their foreign workers a prevailing wage - it doesn't always happen. To the detriment of American workers.

[CottonBall]

Its the same battle over amnesty, different day. Today.

Do we have to go through this crap every 6 months? They're trying to shove amnesty down our throats and I hope there will be hell to pay for everyone of those traitors in Congress.

[Regulator]

Visa Program for Qualified Undocumented Workers: Creates a new visa program (conditional nonimmigrant status) for undocumented immigrants and their spouses and children in the U.S., which is valid for six years. Provides conditional nonimmigrant visa applicants with work and travel authorization and protection from removal. Provides certain immigrants in removal proceedings, facing removal, or ordered to depart voluntarily with an opportunity to apply for conditional nonimmigrant status. Bars related to undocumented status will be waived (security and criminal bars cannot be waived);

Let me Translate:

AMNESTY

[Admin Moderator]

Material from OC Register should be excerpted and linked. The article has to be removed.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1111944/posts

[ran20]

I think in a global economy it is rational to bring tech workers here if possible. If you tell a company like Oracle you can not import the workers, then Oracle will be forced to open up a development center in India or Ukraine or wherever the skill is.

Its easy for some who work in effective monopolies to say just hire americans and raise the price of the product. But in a global marketplace the competitor can go to where the most cost effective labor is itself, and the price below you.